July 31st, 2020
by Jabari Cook
Intern, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC
If you or a loved one has COVID-19, you might feel hopeful about products that guarantee you the treatment or cure you’re looking for. But if those products don’t work as advertised, then you could end up paying lots of money for false promises. Today, the FTC announced a new case against two companies, — Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical, Inc., Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical, Inc. — and members of their leadership — Huu Tieu and Stephen Meis — for allegedly making promises like these.
Golden Sunrise advertised that the dietary supplements in its Emergency D-virus treatment plan could cure COVID-19. Even after the FTC sent Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical a warning letter in April 2020, it continued to claim that its products were “uniquely qualified to treat and modify the course of the virus epidemic,†including through billboards it posted in California.
Golden Sunrise also claimed that its products had been “reviewed and accepted†by the FDA.
According to the FTC, all these claims are deceptive. The FTC’s complaint says that Golden Sunrise misled people by claiming that its products could cure COVID-19. The FTC also says that none of the claims the company made about curing the Coronavirus — or any other serious conditions mentioned in their ads, such as cancer and Parkinson’s — are backed by science. On top of this, the FTC also says that the FDA never approved the companies’ products.
When it comes to the fight against the Coronavirus, knowing the facts will help. Here are tips to follow and share with others:
Always talk with your doctor or another healthcare professional before you try any product claiming to treat or cure COVID-19.
Head to CDC.gov for clear and concise information on COVID-19. In addition, visit the FDA’s Resources page to find out about treatments in development.
Learn more about scams related to COVID-19 by visiting http://ftc.gov/coronavirus and subscribing to Consumer Alerts from the FTC.
If you find a product that claims to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19, report it to the FTC at http://ftc.gov/complaint. back...
Intern, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC
If you or a loved one has COVID-19, you might feel hopeful about products that guarantee you the treatment or cure you’re looking for. But if those products don’t work as advertised, then you could end up paying lots of money for false promises. Today, the FTC announced a new case against two companies, — Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical, Inc., Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical, Inc. — and members of their leadership — Huu Tieu and Stephen Meis — for allegedly making promises like these.
Golden Sunrise advertised that the dietary supplements in its Emergency D-virus treatment plan could cure COVID-19. Even after the FTC sent Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical a warning letter in April 2020, it continued to claim that its products were “uniquely qualified to treat and modify the course of the virus epidemic,†including through billboards it posted in California.
Golden Sunrise also claimed that its products had been “reviewed and accepted†by the FDA.
According to the FTC, all these claims are deceptive. The FTC’s complaint says that Golden Sunrise misled people by claiming that its products could cure COVID-19. The FTC also says that none of the claims the company made about curing the Coronavirus — or any other serious conditions mentioned in their ads, such as cancer and Parkinson’s — are backed by science. On top of this, the FTC also says that the FDA never approved the companies’ products.
When it comes to the fight against the Coronavirus, knowing the facts will help. Here are tips to follow and share with others:
Always talk with your doctor or another healthcare professional before you try any product claiming to treat or cure COVID-19.
Head to CDC.gov for clear and concise information on COVID-19. In addition, visit the FDA’s Resources page to find out about treatments in development.
Learn more about scams related to COVID-19 by visiting http://ftc.gov/coronavirus and subscribing to Consumer Alerts from the FTC.
If you find a product that claims to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19, report it to the FTC at http://ftc.gov/complaint. back...
