U.S. agencies target Internet sale of diabetes 'cures'

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have launched a campaign to stop deceptive Internet advertisements and sales of products falsely promising cures or treatment for diabetes, the agencies announced.

Working with government agencies in Mexico and Canada, the agencies have sent out about 180 warning letters and other advisories to online vendors in the three countries, the FTC and FDA said in a press release.

The diabetes initiative started with a Web search initiated by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network, an organization of law enforcement authorities, members of the Mexico, United States, and Canada Health Fraud Working Group, and the attorneys general offices of Alaska, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The campaign's goal is to make sure "scammers have no place to hide," Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. "The Internet can be a great source of information, but it also is a billboard for ads that promise miracle cures for diabetes and other serious diseases."

The FTC then sent warning letters for deceptive ads to 84 U.S. and seven Canadian Web sites targeting U.S. consumers, and referred an additional 21 sites to other foreign governments. About a quarter of the firms have changed their claims or removed their pages from the Internet, and several others have contacted the FTC, the FTC said.

On Thursday, the FDA announced it has issued warning letters to 24 firms marketing dietary supplement products with claims to treat, cure, prevent or mitigate diabetes. The FDA letters warn firms that failure to promptly correct the violations may result in enforcement action without further notice, which may include the seizure of targeted products and injunctions against the manufacturers and distributors.

The action is part of the FDA's enforcement efforts in the area of dietary supplements, including an emphasis on claims aimed at patients with serious diseases such as cancer and diabetes. In the last year, the agency has sent more than 100 warning letters and other advisories to Internet firms and has seized products at one firm.

Also on Thursday, the FTC announced a new consumer education campaign to teach consumers how to avoid phony diabetes cures. The materials encourage consumers to "Be smart, be skeptical!" and will be available in English, Spanish and French.

One component of the campaign is a Web site at http://wemarket4u.net/glucobate/index.html. At first glance, the site appears to be advertising a cure for diabetes called Glucobate, but when consumers click for more information, it reveals information about avoiding ads for phony cure-alls. The American Dietetic Association has agreed to help distribute the information, the FTC said.