Lidocaine patch lawsuits allege false advertising

Lidocaine patch lawsuits overview: 

• Who: Consumers have filed class action lawsuits this year against CVS, Target, Dollar General, Veridian and Greenbrier International over the way they market their lidocaine patches. 
• Why: The companies are accused of falsely advertising that the lidocaine patches they sell are more effective than reality..
• Where: The lidocaine patch lawsuits affect consumers nationwide.

Consumers have taken aim at companies this year over claims they falsely advertise the actual strength of their lidocaine patch products. 

Lidocaine patches are used to treat muscle pain and often marketed to consumers with claims of providing “maximum strength” benefits. 

Consumers, meanwhile, claim companies artificially inflate the effectiveness of their lidocaine patch products in an effort to charge more for them and to gain a leg up on the competition. 

Assured lidocaine patches don’t stay on long enough to deliver promised results, class action says

Consumers filed a class action lawsuit against Greenbrier International, which manufactures Assured brand lidocaine patches, earlier this month over claims the company inflates the effectiveness of its lidocaine patches. 

Consumers argue that the Assured lidocaine patches are marketed as “maximum strength” yet allegedly can fall off “within minutes,” well before the eight hours the company says the lidocaine patches should be worn. 

“The message that the wearer can ‘Apply (the Product) For 8 Hours’ of ‘Temporary Relief’ is misleading because it regularly peels off skin within three to four hours, and sometimes in minutes, after being applied,” the lidocaine lawsuit states. 

Dollar General accused of selling lidocaine patches that peel off skin too soon 

A consumer filed a similar class action lawsuit against Dollar General in July, arguing the company sold lidocaine patches that failed to adhere to skin for 12 hours as advertised. 

The consumer behind the lidocaine lawsuit claims the patches sold by Dollar General actually peel off within a few hours and do not provide the 12 hours of relief that is promised. 

“The result of the failure to adhere to the user’s bodies is that the (DG Health lidocaine patches) cannot deliver the ‘Maximum Strength’ amount of lidocaine for 12 hours,” the lidocaine lawsuit states. 

Target accused of overcharging for lidocaine patches that don’t stay on the body long enough 

Target, meanwhile, was also hit with a class action lawsuit revolving around lidocaine patches when, in May, a consumer argued the company sells lidocaine patches that don’t stay on the body for as long as promised. 

The consumer behind the lidocaine lawsuit claims patches sold by Target are also falsely advertised as “maximum strength” since they do not actually “contain or deliver the maximum amount of lidocaine available with or without a prescription.” 

Target is accused of taking advantage of consumers with the way it markets the lidocaine patches it sells while allegedly charging more money for them than what they are actually worth. 

Veridian lidocaine patches not actually ‘maximum strength’, class action says

 In April, Veridian faced a class action lawsuit claiming the company falsely advertises that the lidocaine patches it sells last longer and are a higher strength than what is actually the case. 

The consumer behind the lidocaine lawsuit argues that not only do the Veridian lidocaine patches fail to stick to the body for up to 12 hours as advertised but that they also cannot be marketed as “maximum strength” since they contain only 4% total lidocaine. 

Competing lidocaine patch brands, meanwhile, have total lidocaine contents of 5%, according to the class action, which argues this shows the company misrepresents the product by marketing it as “maximum strength.” 

CVS maximum strength lidocaine patches falsely advertised as ‘maximum strength,’ consumer claims

CVS, meanwhile, was hit with a lidocaine lawsuit in February arguing the company falsely advertises the “maximum strength” benefits of its CVS brand Maximum Strength Lidocaine Patches. 

The consumer behind the class action lawsuit claims CVS falsely advertises its lidocaine patches due to the fact that at least one competitor allegedly sells patches which contain a higher overall lidocaine percentage. 

CVS also fails to disclose that there are prescription lidocaine patches that also offer a higher percentage of lidocaine than its product does, the class action alleges. 

“Rather than accurately advertise its Products through its labeling, Defendant preys on consumers’ desire for maximum pain relief to drive substantial profits,” the lidocaine lawsuit states. 

Telebrands recalls Hempväna brand products containing lidocaine over unsafe packaging concerns

Also in April, Telebrands recalled its Hempväna brand pain relief products containing lidocaine as an ingredient.  

Telebrands initiated the recall for the Hempväna lidocaine products over concerns that their packaging was not properly child resistant as is legally required and presented a poison risk. 

The recall affected around 183,000 units of products containing lidocaine, including several Hempväna brand pain relief creams and lotions. 

Have you purchased a lidocaine product that did not work as advertised? What do you think of the lidocaine patch lawsuits? Let us know in the comments!

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Lidocaine class action alleges Assured brand patches don’t work as advertised
• CVS class action alleges retailer falsely advertises hydrogen peroxide benefits
• PPE company sued by FTC over ‘Made in USA’ claims
• Product recalls to hit all-time high in U.S. this year