Georgia Firms Face FTC Charges for Weight Loss, ED Claims

Georgia Firms Face FTC Charges for Weight Loss, ED Claims

WASHINGTONThe Federal TradeCommission (FTC) on Nov. 24 filed charges against three related dietarysupplement marketing firms located in Norcross, Ga., and their corporateofficers for deceptive advertising for their weight loss and erectiledysfunction (ED) products. FTC (www.ftc.gov) charged National Urological GroupInc., National Institute for Clinical Weight Loss Inc. and Hi- TechPharmaceuticals for making deceptive claims about the safety and efficacy of theproducts Thermalean, Lipodrene and Spontane-ES. The agency is seeking injunctiveand other equitable relief including consumer redress, restitution anddisgorgement of illgotten gains.

FTC alleged the defendants direct mail and Internetadvertisements contained false and unsubstantiated weight loss claims forThermalean and Lipodrene, two dietary supplements with ephedra. Among the claimswere that Thermalean combined the weight loss activities of three prescriptiondrugs, and that Lipodrene had undergone substantial clinical testing provingconsumers could lose substantial amounts of weight safely. FTCs filing notedthe defendants have not advertised or sold the products since the Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) in April 2004 prohibited the sale of dietary supplementscontaining ephedra.

The third supplement, Spontane-ES, reportedly containedyohimbine and was marketed as an effective and safe treatment for ED. FTC ischallenging both the 90 percent efficacy rate touted by the defendants, as wellas the safety claim.