While we wish it weren't so, there is no simple cure for opioid dependency. Sadly, in the face of our nation's opioid epidemic, many opportunistic entities have turned up attempting to market items that offer a fast repair to this persistent disease. Following a rise in the online advertising of deceitful "miracle cures" for opioid withdrawal and addiction, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) partnered with the Fda (FDA) to put these misleading and manipulative marketers on notification. To get more information, we talked with Mamie Kresses, a senior attorney in the FTC's Department of Advertising Practices.

The National Center on Dependency and Drug Abuse (CASA): What are the so-called " wonder cures" for opioid addiction being promoted online?

Mamie Kresses (MK): We have actually seen a great deal of marketing of products that claim to either deal with the signs of withdrawal and/or to assist people overcome their addiction long-lasting. The majority of these items are vitamins, minerals, or organic blends that claim to help you make it through withdrawal, and by virtue of doing that, help you kick your reliance more completely.

CASA: Exists any reality to the claims these items make?

MK: We have dealt with professionals in the field of addiction medicine and they have told us there is no evidence that these natural blends will help you get rid of the signs of withdrawal and there is certainly no proof they will assist you get rid of dependency.

CASA: What is the harm in these products?

MK: Foregoing the opportunity to get a tested treatment, such as medication-assisted treatment, for something that is completely untried and unverified is a lost opportunity for real help and is possibly unsafe. You can not market a item unless it has actually been tested in a competent and trusted clinical style. Especially a product declaring to deal with a major illness such as opioid usage disorder.

CASA: What are you doing to help stop this deceitful advertising?

MK: In a joint project between the FTC and FDA, we have sent out warning letters to 11 companies our company believe are marketing unverified treatments for opioid addiction. We hope the result of these letters is to get these ads taken down and these items off the kratom market and to lower the mess for those who are searching for genuine aid. The FTC likewise partnered with Drug abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to advertise hotline resources for looking for credible treatment alternatives across the nation.

CASA: Have you heard back from any of the business that got letters?

MK: Yes, we have actually gotten actions. We are continuing to keep track of that area and have seen numerous misleading claims gotten rid of from the internet. Definitely not all of them, but I think you would likewise discover that if you were to search for the items, some of them are no longer readily available for sale. I believe there has actually been a motion based upon the letters to remedy the market in some concerns.

To get more information about avoiding items misleadingly advertised as treatments for opioid withdrawal or addiction, take a look at this resource produced by the FTC in collaboration with SAMHSA: Getting the Right Assist for Opioid Dependence or Withdrawal.

To make a problem about a item making misleading or unverified claims go to the FTC complaint assistant website.

And keep in mind, a remedy for addiction does not yet exist, so anything touted as such is misguiding and dangerous. Addiction is a really complex illness and, although there are interventions and treatments that can reduce the signs and assist people lead typical healthy lives, there is no basic quick fix.