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The Food and Drug Administration is telling three companies that sell mouthwash products to stop saying things about their products that aren’t supported by facts.
The FDA sent letters to Johnson & Johnson, CVS Corp. and Walgreen Co., all of which claim their products are effective in preventing gum disease—a statement that isn’t true.
These warnings from the FDA are latest from President Barack Obama’s administration in an initiative to cut down on companies making false claims about their products.
The US laws state that a company cannot claim that its product is successful in treating a disease unless the claim is backed up by the FDA.
The three companies that received the letter make mouthwash products that contain sodium fluoride, which is something that prevents cavities. But, according to the FDA, sodium fluoride has not been proven to completely get rid of plaque or stop gum disease.
If these claims were accurate, then these products would be viewed as drugs. But if that were the case, then the FDA would need the products to be tested for safety and effectiveness, something that hasn’t been done.
The companies will work with the FDA to resolve this matter.
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