AN TALK ALONG WITH FED TRADE COMMISSION LEADING LEGAL PRACTITIONER MAMIE KRESSES REGARDING CRACKING DOWN ON " MIRACULOUS CURES" FOR OPIOID DEPENDENCE

While we want it weren't so, there is no easy remedy for opioid dependency. Unfortunately, in the face of our country's opioid epidemic, lots of opportunistic entities have actually turned up attempting to market items that offer a quick repair to this persistent disease. Following a rise in the online advertising of fraudulent "miracle treatments" for opioid withdrawal and addiction, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) partnered with the Fda (FDA) to put these misleading and manipulative online marketers on notice. For more information, we spoke with Mamie Kresses, a senior lawyer in the FTC's Department of Marketing Practices.

The National Center on Dependency and Drug Abuse (CASA): What are the so-called "miracle remedies" for opioid dependency being promoted online?

Mamie Kresses (MK): We have actually seen a great deal of advertising of items that declare to either deal with the signs of withdrawal and/or to help people conquer their dependency long-lasting. The majority of these products are vitamins, minerals, or herbal blends that claim to assist you survive withdrawal, and by virtue of doing that, assist you kick your dependence more completely.

CASA: Is there any fact to the claims these items make?

MK: We have dealt with experts in the field of dependency medicine and they have actually informed us there is no evidence that these organic blends will help you conquer the symptoms of withdrawal and there is definitely no proof they will help you get rid of dependency.

CASA: What is the harm in these items?

MK: Bypassing the opportunity to get a tested treatment, such as medication-assisted treatment, for something that is totally untried and unproven is a lost chance genuine help and is potentially harmful. You can not promote a item unless it has actually been checked in a qualified and trustworthy clinical style. Particularly a item claiming to deal with a severe illness such as opioid usage disorder.

CASA: What are you doing to assist stop this fraudulent marketing?

MK: In a joint job in between the FTC and FDA, we have actually sent alerting letters to 11 companies our company believe are marketing unverified treatments for opioid dependency. We hope the effect of these letters is to get these advertisements taken down and these items off the marketplace and to reduce the mess for those who are looking for genuine assistance. The FTC also partnered with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to advertise hotline resources for looking for credible treatment options across the country.

CASA: Have you heard back from any of the companies that got letters?

MK: Yes, we have actually received reactions. We are continuing to keep an eye on that area and have seen many deceptive claims removed from the internet. Certainly not all of them, however I think you would likewise find that if you were to look for the products, some of them are no longer available for sale. I believe there has actually been a motion based on the letters to correct the marketplace in some concerns.

For more information about avoiding products misleadingly advertised as treatments for opioid withdrawal or addiction, have a look buy kratom at this resource developed by the FTC in partnership with SAMHSA: Getting the Right Help for Opioid Dependence or Withdrawal.

To make a complaint about a product making deceptive or unproven claims check out the FTC complaint assistant website.

And keep in mind, a cure for addiction does not yet exist, so anything promoted as such is deceiving and unsafe. Addiction is a very intricate illness and, although there are interventions and treatments that can decrease the symptoms and assist people lead normal healthy lives, there is no basic fast repair.