WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced May 4 that Catlin Enterprises Inc., a company that marketed itself as “the leader in home opiate detox since 2009,” and CEO George Catlin have settled FTC charges that the withdrawal treatment claims for their “withdrawal ease” and “recovery ease” products were false or unsupported by scientific evidence.
According to the FTC, the defendants violated the FTC law by making unsubstantiated claims about their products. The defendants said their home detox system could alleviate opioid withdrawal problems and increase the likelihood of a person overcoming opiate dependence.
Under the settlement with the FTC, the defendants are barred from such claims unless they can back them up with competent and reliable science.
“Opioid addiction is a scourge that has affected millions of Americans,” acting FTC chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen said. “People who struggle with this problem need real help, not phony claims and false promises like the ones peddled by these defendants.”
The FTC voted 2-0 to authorize the staff to file the complaint and approve the stipulated proposed order. The order was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.