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Medifast to Pay $3.7 Million Settlement Over Deceptive Ads
By Matt O’Donnell
Jason Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of diet plan maker Medifast, Inc., will pay $3.7 million in civil penalties to settle Federal Trade Commission Charges that it violated a previous agency order by making unsupported claims about its weight-loss program. No class action lawsuit has been filed, but the FTC settlement opens the door to a consumer false advertising class action lawsuit.
Jason Pharmaceuticals sells Medifast-brand low-calories meal substitutes, including its most popular plan called the Medifast “5 and 1” plan that consists of 800-1,000 calories per day.
The FTC went after the Medifast company based on allegations it violated a 1992 order that banned the company from making unsupported claims about users’ success in achieving or maintaining weight loss or control. Violating these orders carried a fine of up to $16,000 per violation per day.
According to the FTC, Jason Pharmaceuticals made unsupported representations since at least November 1009 that using Medifast programs and products would allow consumers to lose 2-5 pounds per week. The company also represented that the experiences of consumer endorsers featured in the advertisements were typical, and that consumers would lose more than 30 pounds, according to the FTC Medifast complaint.
Under the new FTC Medifast settlement, the company:
— May not misrepresent that consumers who use Medifast will experience results similar to endorsers’, or that achieving or maintaining weight loss is typical, without competent and reliable scientific evidence.
— Is prohibited from making any other representation about the health benefits, safety or side effects of any low-calorie meal replacement program, unless the representation is non-misleading and backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence that is generally accepted in the profession to yield accurate results.
— May not misrepresent that any doctor, health professional or other endorser recommends a weight loss program, product, service, drug, or supplement
A copy of the FTC Medifast complaint can be read here. The case is United States of America (for the Federal Trade Commission), Plaintiff, v. Jason Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Defendant (United States District Court for the District of Columbia), Case No. 1:12-cv-01476, FTC Docket No. C-3392.
Updated November 20th, 2012
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7 thoughts onMedifast to Pay $3.7 Million Settlement Over Deceptive Ads
Medifast ruined my life. I have suffered horrible stomach issues and have been looking for retribution for years. Please Please someone contact me about being part of this suit. I was assured that this was the healthiest diet I could ever consume. All the nutrition and vitamins for an ideal diet. When I contacted my coach and her superior they ghosted me
I did optavia and now I have reflux disease. It ruined my gut and I’ve had symptoms for almost 4 years!! It’s completely unhealthy for your system. I regret even thinking about trying it.
I did medifast, along with approx 10 other people I know and we lost a ton of weight very quickly and felt fantastic. Most of us kept it off. If you join under the program called Take Shape For Life (which is now called optavia), they teach you how to keep it off and provide you with a free health coach. This diet is only a 800-1000 calorie a day diet, so I find it hard to believe other comments that say they didn’t lose any weight. There’s no way you can eat 800-1000 calories a day and not lose weight, so I’m calling BS on those who say they didn’t lose anything. Sounds like someone cheated on it. This plan absolutely works. The first few days, you’ll feel very hungry and low energy. Once your body gets into fat burning mode (which takes about 5 days), your energy goes up, hunger goes away and you feel great and most people really do lose 5lbs the first week and 2-3 lbs a week thereafter.
i purchased this porduct
I purchaased Medifast and used it for six months/ I never lost any weight. I was a victim of a scam.
I absolutely don’t believe you. It’s only a 800-1000 calorie a day diet. Plus you’re supposed to drink 60+ oz of water a day. There’s no way you didn’t lose a single pound ?
Total lie, I am down from 272 to 199 since Nov 8th 2021.