Acting FTC Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen and FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, issued rare joint warning letters to 11 companies for their products that claim to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms and other unproven claims. The two agencies say these supplements are illegally marketed and sold online, and the owners of the businesses must cease selling them immediately.

The products were mostly marketed and sold over social media – with ads on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Their ads claimed their products could cure addiction orders. For example, one company called itself the “#1 Selling Opiate Withdrawal Brand” and said that its products were “Safe and effective natural supplements that work to ease many physical symptoms of opiate withdrawal.”

If you have taken any of these supplements or drugs, they are unapproved for any therapeutic purposes and should be disposed of properly:

  • Opiate Freedom Center (Opiate Freedom 5-Pack)
  • U4Life, LLC (Mitadone)
  • CalmSupport, LLC (CalmSupport)
  • TaperAid (TaperAid and TaperAid Complete)
  • Medicus Holistic Alternatives LLC (Natracet)
  • NutraCore Health Products, LLC (Opiate Detox Pro)
  • Healthy Healing, LLC (Withdrawal Support)
  • Soothedrawal, Inc (Soothedrawal)
  • Choice Detox Center, Inc (Nofeel)
  • GUNA, Inc (GUNA-ADDICT 1)
  • King Bio, Inc (AddictaPlex).

“The FDA is increasingly concerned with the proliferation of products claiming to treat or cure serious diseases like opioid addiction and withdrawal,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, in a statement.

“People who are addicted to opioids should have access to safe and effective treatments and not be victimized by unscrupulous vendors who are trying to capitalize on the opioid epidemic by taking advantage of consumers and selling products with baseless claims,” he said.

The FDA and FTC issued cease and desist letters on January 11, with instructions to stop advertising and selling the products by January 24, 2018. If they fail to obey, they face seizures or injunctions. Eventually, the government could force them to comply with legal action.

If you’ve been scammed by one of these companies or another supplement provider, contact the FTC.

If you need help with addiction, there is hope out there. Don’t rely on snake oil products that claim to ease withdrawal or cure your addiction. A detox center can help you get clean as comfortably as possible. Call a treatment center in our directory for more information.

You’re not alone, and it’s not worth further risking your health when you can get clean and sober in a safe, therapeutic environment.