By Pat Anson, PNN Editor
Low level light therapy (LLLT) – also known as “laser therapy” – has been touted for years as a treatment for arthritis, neck and back pain, sore muscles and even spinal cord injuries.
But in a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the makers of a light therapy device called the Willow Curve have agreed to stop making deceptive claims that it can treat chronic and severe pain.
“When LLLT sellers say their devices will relieve pain, they’d better have the scientific proof to back it up,” Andrew Smith, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. “People looking for drug-free pain relief deserve truthful information about these products.”
In a complaint filed in federal court, against the inventors and marketers of the Willow Curve, the FTC alleged that Dr. Ronald Shapiro and David Sutton “personally made deceptive claims about the health benefits” of the device and falsely claimed it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration to diagnose and treat chronic, severe pain and inflammation.
Willow Curve is a curved plastic device that delivers low-level light and mild heat to painful areas. It’s been sold online and through retailers and healthcare professionals since 2014, most recently at a price of $799.
In a 2016 commercial, television personality Chuck Woolery claimed the “all-digital Willow Curve is so effective that it’s now used in doctors’ offices and, of course, by tens of thousands of people just like you.”
Other advertisements touted Willow Curve as the “world’s first digital biosensory, biotherapeutic laser smart” device that was “clinically proven,” even though there was no scientific evidence to support those claims, according to the FTC complaint.
The FTC also alleged that Shapiro anmd Sutton deceptively claimed Willow Curve comes with a “risk free money back” guarantee. In reality, consumers who returned the device had to pay shipping and handling costs and often did not receive a refund at all or had to wait more than a year for it.
The settlement imposes a $22 million judgment against the defendants, which will be partially suspended after Shapiro and Sutton each pay $200,000, based on their ability to pay. It also asks the judge to issue a permanent injunction to prevent future false advertising. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
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June 28, 2020 at 10:48PM
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FTC Takes Dim View of Light Therapy Device - Pain News Network
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