Current and former high-level doTERRA wellness advocates agree to civil penalties and injunctions
By: David Bland
“The FTC, in my opinion, is going to continue to push on egregious misleading claims no matter the form; I do not think their enforcement efforts will be limited to COVID-type claims.” —Katrina Eash, partner, Winston & Strawn LLP.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced on March 3 permanent injunction orders and civil penalty judgments against three current and former distributors for doTERRA International LLC. doTERRA, a Utah-based direct seller founded in 2008, markets essential oils, health supplements and personal-care products.
The government actions were in response to allegedly deceptive COVID-19 product claims made in public webinars by the high-ranking distributors in January 2022. The distributors —a California-based pediatrician, a Georgia-based nurse practitioner, and a Utah-based former registered nurse—allegedly promoted their products to prevent, reduce the severity of, or cure COVID-19 and Long COVID-19. The doTERRA representatives also made claims about counteracting negative side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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