You cannot make medical claims about essential oils. Don’t shoot the messenger. It is simply the law. Both the FDA and the FTC have rules on the books that all essential oils companies, sellers, and distributors must follow.

Recently the Department of Justice acted on the behalf of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against three dōTERRA high-level distributors who were making unsubstantiated medical claims that essential oils could cure COVID 19 during the pandemic. The dōTERRA distributors included a pediatrician, a nurse practitioner, and a former registered nurse who made medical claims about using dōTERRA essential oils to prevent, treat, and cure Covid 19 on multiple webinars.
During the height of the pandemic there were a lot of medical claims being made on the internet about essential oils, however at the time none had been clinically proven to prevent or cure Coronavirus (COVID-19). According to the FTC you can’t make claims without the clinical data and scientific proof. In addition, according to the FDA you cannot make curative claims without converting your cosmetic product into a drug.
The FTC Act does not allow anyone to exercise undue influence over highly susceptible classes of purchasers. A prime example would be pediatrician, a nurse practitioner, and a former registered nurse promoting what the FTC considers fraudulent ‘cures’ with no scientific proof during a worldwide pandemic. The FTC says that these practices undermine an essential precondition to a free and informed consumer transaction. According to the FTC these three dōTERRA distributors touted their medical expertise to promote the sale of dōTERRA products.
Many of my readers are in the handcrafted and aromatherapy industries. Sometimes the FDA regulations are a bit murky to understand what you can and cannot say, but the FTC is pretty clear about their rules. Check out the FTC Act and specifically the sections covering Consumer Protection; Competition; Advertising and Marketing; Endorsements, Influencers, and Reviews; Environmental Marketing; Health Claims; Made in USA; Online Advertising and Marketing; and Advertising and Marketing Basics.
Resources
Trade Practice Rules and the Cosmetic Industry (ftc.gov)
Making cosmetics claims that are up to standard (naturalproductsinsider.com)
Related Blogs
Warnings dōTERRA & Young Living Won’t Tell You – Kayla Fioravanti
FDA Action Against dōTERRA & Young Living – Kayla Fioravanti
The Unspoken Truth About Essential Oils Book – Kayla Fioravanti
(Un)Well and EO Truths – Kayla Fioravanti
The Dirty Truth About DIY Hand Sanitizer Recipes – Kayla Fioravanti
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