FTC says the ads for footwear are deceptive
of ConsumerAffairsGravity Defyer Medical Technology Corporation and its owner Alexander Elnekaveh will have to stop making alleged deceptive pain-relief claims for Gravity Defyer footwear, under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
The federal order also requires Elnekaveh to pay a $175,000 civil penalty for allegedlyviolating a prior Commission orderbarring him from deceptive advertising.
California-based Gravity Defyer advertised their Gravity Defyer footwear as containing soles with VersoShock technology that supposedly relieves pain, including pain from numerous medical conditions, according to theFTCs complaint. The complaint alleged the ads claimed, without adequate scientific evidence, that Gravity Defyer footwear:
- will relieve pain, including knee, back and foot pain;
- will relieve pain in people suffering from multiple conditions such as plantar fasciitis, arthritis, joint pain, and heel spurs; and
- was clinically proven to relieve pain, including 85% less knee pain, 91% less back pain, 92% less ankle pain, and 75% less foot pain.
The FTC alleged that Elnekavehs conduct violateda 2001 order barring him from such allegedly deceptive advertisingby making scientifically unsupported claims and using misleading consumer testimonials to sell Gravity Defyer products.
Thestipulated ordersettling the complaint barsGravity Defyer and Elnekavehfrom making pain relief claims or claims that a device will cure, mitigate, or treat any disease unless they have competent and reliable scientific evidence to back up the claims, including human clinical trials.
The order further prohibitsGravity Defyer and Elnekaveh from making health, efficacy, and safety claims about other products unless they are supported by scientific evidence, bars them from misrepresenting the results of any test, study, or research, and requires them to preserve certain scientific records related to human clinical studies.
Finally, the order imposes a $175,000 civil penalty against Elnekaveh. He must also notify retailers selling Gravity Defyer footwear of the Commissions order.
Sign up below for The Daily Consumer, our newsletter on the latest consumer news, including recalls, lawsuits and more.
Posted: 2025-02-21 21:30:43
