FTC Blitzes Concussion Prevention Claims

As football season gets under way, the news is filled with stories about the toll concussions suffered by players can take on the brain, and even the Center for Disease Control has offered advice on the subject.  Last month the FTC announced a complaint and settlement with a marketer that promised that its mouthguard could reduce the risk of sports-related concussions.  The FTC announced the proposed settlement with Brain-Pad, Inc. and its President Joseph Manzo that bars the defendants from misrepresenting the health benefits of mouthguards or other athletic equipment designed to protect the brain from injury. Following the settlement, Brain-Pad cannot make unsupported claims that its mouthguards reduce the risk of concussions from lower jaw impacts, reduce the risk of concussions generally or have been clinically proven to do either.