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Officials Crackdown On Mosquito Repellent Ads

zika-map-floridaThey have now discovered that mosquitoes are infecting people with the Zika virus in Florida and many are concerned that this problem could spread through the rest of the United States.

Some marketers are taking advantage of people’s fears and have been selling gadgets and ointments they claim will prevent Zika infection. Our officials are now cracking down on these companies. The Federal Trade Commission recently sent warning letters to ten companies and the New York Attorney General’s office sent cease-and-desist letters to seven.

“Your company’s advertisements exploit consumers’ vulnerability and mislead them as to the effectiveness of your product in protecting against the Zika virus,” wrote Lisa Landau, chief of the attorney general’s Health Care Bureau.

The products that the Attorney General mentioned in his order included both botanical oils and high-frequency ultrasonic devices. All such products must be registered for use under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act and be registered with the EPA. Or, they must qualify for a special exemption from registration.

The Federal Trade Commission said in their letters that products made for protection against Zika must be “supported by competent and reliable evidence”.

The Centers for Disease Control suggest that if you are seeking protection against Zika, you should use products containing DEET, picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel and Icaridin), oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol or IR3535.

Have you seen what the Zika virus does to a baby? This is a serious disease and you can’t afford to fall for scams offered by “snake oil salesmen”.