FTC Questions Homeopathic Claims

The Federal Trade Commission announced that it recently closed an investigation into whether marketers made improper claims about the efficacy of the Nerve Pain Away homeopathic topical spray.  The FTC questioned claims by Nature's Pillows, Inc. and Plymouth Direct, Inc. that the product is an effective nerve pain reliever.  

The FTC explained that homeopathy, which dates back to the late 1700s, is based on the theory -- not accepted by most modern medical experts -- that disease symptoms can be treated by minute does of substances that produce similar symptoms when provided in larger doses to healthy people.  The FTC indicated that most homeopathic products are diluted to such an extent that they no longer contain detectable levels of the initial substance.  The FTC said that Nerve Away Pain's purported active ingredients had been diluted 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times.