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U.S. Food and Drug Administration and FTC Warns Corporations Selling Harmful HCG Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently sent seven warning notices to corporations selling over-the counter (OTC) HCG pills that are being marketed as “homeopathic” for weight loss.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone formed by the human placenta and detected in the urine of pregnant women. HCG is FDA-approved as a prescription medication for the treatment of some situations of female infertility and other medical issues.

The warnings inform the corporations that they are violating federal law by marketing medications that have not been approved, and by claiming unsupported facts for the drugs. There are no FDA-approved HCG medication products for weight loss.

The joint action is the first movement in keeping the unproven and possibly dangerous drugs from being sold online and in retail outlets as pellets, oral drops, and sprays.

The instructions for the “homeopathic” HCG products instruct that each product should be taken in combination with a very low calorie diet. There is no substantial proof HCG enhances weight loss beyond that resulting from the recommended caloric reduction.  Individuals following a very low calorie diet are at increased risk for side effects including , electrolyte imbalance, gallstone formation, and heart problems.

“These HCG products marketed over-the-counter are unproven to help with weight loss and are potentially dangerous even if taken as directed,” said acting director of the Office of Compliance in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Ilisa Bernstein. “And a very low calorie diet should only be used under proper medical supervision,” she added.

“Deceptive advertising about weight loss products is one of the most prevalent types of fraud,” said the director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, David Vladeck. “Any advertiser who makes health claims about a product is required by federal law to back them up with competent and reliable scientific evidence, so consumers have the accurate information they need to make good decisions,” he added.