WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it has settled with the marketers of Elimidrol, a powdered drink mix that supposedly enables opiate-addicted consumers to overcome addiction and withdrawal.
The FTC claimed that Sunrise Nutraceuticals LLC made deceptive claims about the drug when it ran internet advertising targeting opiate-dependent consumers, touting the drug’s “high success rate...in overcoming opiate withdrawal” and the notion that it “turns up the chances of a successful recovery.”
“Opiate addiction has taken a tremendous toll on the American public,” Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said. “By peddling their unproven product, these defendants have prevented people from seeking legitimate treatment.”
The company and its principal, Joshua Erickson, will pay $235,000 as a result of the proposed stipulated order settling the case. Additionally, the company cannot make claims for health-related products unless it proves to have competent and reliable scientific evidence.
The FTC voted 3-0 to approve the stipulated final order, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, West Palm Division. As a member of the National Prevention Council, the FTC makes ongoing efforts to protect consumers from false health advertising.