Bioidentical Hormones - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

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marketers could consult for guidance. 14 Likewise, FDA warning letters provided information
about FTC law.
The FTC staff recently conducted a follow-up review of the websites to determine if the
sites removed or modified the safety or disease prevention claims. Although many sites revised
their claims, unfortunately, slightly more than half of the websites, 19 of 34, continue to sell
"natural" progesterone creams and sprays by making unsubstantiated claims that they are safe or
can treat or prevent cancer, heart disease, or osteoporosis. The FTC staff now is following up
with the companies and will make enforcement recommendations.
m. Internet Fraud
The Commission's efforts to halt deceptive, online, health-related claims are part of a
larger, aggressive program to combat Internet fraud. For over a decade, the FTC has employed
the same three-pronged strategy discussed above - law enforcement, consumer education, and
business outreach - to address a wide array of online consumer protection problems, including
data security, pretexting, identity theft, children's online privacy, spam, and spyware.
Online fraud generally falls into two categories: (1) old-fashioned schemes that have
simply moved online, such as pyramid schemes, deceptive work-at-home opportunities, and false
product claims;" and (2) Internet trickery and other scams that exploit new technology and are
14 See FTC Press Release and Sample Warning Letter, www.ftc.aov/ona/2005/l 1lhorrnone.htm.
is See, e.g., FTC v. SkyBiz.com, Inc., No. 01-CV-396-EA (N.D. Okla.) (Stipulated Final Order
Jan. 28, 2003), www.ftc .ovonpa/2003/03/skvbiz.htm (pyramid); FTC v. Stuffingforcash.com,
No. 02C 5022 (N.D. Ill.) (Stipulated Final.Order Jan. 30, 2003), www.ftc.eov/o a/2003/07/
sapammers.htm (work at home); FTC v. Phoenix Avatar, LLC, No. 04C 2897 (N.D. 111.)
(Stipulated Final Order Mar. 29,2005), www.ftc.govioia/2005/03/nhoenixhhtm (diet patches).