Other LanguagesA thermal massaging bed might work wonders for a sore back but the Attorney General’s Office says when it comes to hype, manufacturers are limited to promoting their medical products to uses approved by federal regulators. Our Consumer Protection Division announced an agreement today with Ceragem International, Inc., a California corporation accused of marketing its product through the use of testimonials by consumers who claimed the beds cured or treated various ills.
“A pricey massaging bed may temporarily relieve pain but it’s still a bed – not a miracle cure,” Assistant Attorney General Jack Zurlini said in today's news release. “Promoters are responsible for ensuring ‘real person’ testimonials don’t claim cures outside the scope of a product’s approved uses.”
Undercover AG staff visited Ceragem outlets in Spokane and Kent, where they allegedly witnessed distributors eliciting testimonials from individuals who claimed the beds corrected a variety of conditions including tumors and Alzheimer’s. Ceragem denied any wrongdoing but agreed to a legal agreement that restricts its marketing practices and to pay $16,000 in state attorneys’ fees.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office settled with Ceragem in November 2005 resolving similar violations.