Tag: cbd marketing

FDA Issues 15 New Warning Letters to CBD Companies and Publishes Consumer Update

Posted on December 2, 2019 by - Government Affairs

By: Adam S. Bloom, Esq. and John E. Morrone, Esq.

On November 25, 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warning letters to 15 companies selling cannabidiol (CBD) and published a revised Consumer Update broadly detailing its safety concerns regarding CBD products. In addition, the FDA said it intends to provide an update “in the coming weeks” on its progress towards developing a regulatory approach to CBD products.

Each of the companies that received warning letters sold their products online in “interstate commerce.”  The products sold include a wide range of CBD products including oils, creams, tinctures, capsules, dietary supplements, human foods (such as gummies and chocolates) and animal foods. As has been the case in each of their previous CBD-related warning letters, the FDA focused its attention on companies that market CBD products with claims that the products cure, mitigate, treat or prevent diseases such as cancer, diabetes, opioid addiction, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, autism, Crohn’s disease, depression, and arthritis.

Although each of the targeted companies made illegal disease claims, the FDA made it a point to emphasize that the CBD foods (including animal foods) and dietary supplement products were in further violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). The FDA stated it is illegal to introduce into interstate commerce human or animal food containing CBD because CBD is an unapproved food additive – it is not Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) among qualified experts, and no food additive regulation authorizes its use in foods. The FDA also noted that CBD cannot be marketed as a dietary supplement because it does not meet the definition of a dietary supplement under the FDCA.

Additionally, the FDA emphasized its concern with the marketing of CBD products to children. For example, they called out a CBD product named “Asteroid Gummies” which was advertised with the claim that consumers can give the product “as a treat to your kid[.]”

Significantly, in the revised Consumer Update, the FDA conveyed its belief that there are many unanswered questions and data gaps about CBD safety and that the limited data it has seen regarding CBD point to “real risks.” The FDA’s safety concerns regarding CBD include potential liver injury, the effect of interactions with other drugs, drowsiness, diarrhea, changes in mood, effects on male reproductive health, impact on vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant or breast-feeding women, and the cumulative effects of CBD use.

In an FDA press release issued in conjunction with the warning letters and the revised Consumer Update, the FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernathy, M.D., Ph.D., emphasized that they are monitoring the CBD marketplace and will take action against companies that “violate the law in ways that raise a variety of health concerns.” She added that FDA believes there are “knowledge gaps” about the science, safety, and quality of many CBD products and that the FDA is concerned that people wrongly believe many CBD products have been evaluated by the FDA and determined to be safe or that trying CBD “can’t hurt.”

By issuing 15 new warning letters and articulating its concerns regarding CBD safety, FDA has reiterated its commitment to overseeing the CBD industry and demonstrated the risks of marketing CBD products without a thorough understanding of the unsettled and complex CBD regulatory environment. If you need assistance navigating the regulatory environment for CBD or other cannabis-derived products, contact Frier Levitt today to speak with an attorney.

The FDA and FTC issue Warning Letter to Florida CBD Company for Unsubstantiated Disease Claims and Marketing to Children

Posted on October 23, 2019 by - Government Affairs

On October 10, 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a joint warning letter to Florida-based Rooted Apothecary, LLC, for selling cannabidiol (CBD) products with unsubstantiated claims that the products treat or cure a variety of serious diseases and health conditions, including claims that the products treat certain conditions in infants. The warning letter reflects the FDA’s continuing concern over CBD products marketed for therapeutic or medical uses, and emphasizes the FDA’s concern over CBD products marketed for use by infants and/or children.

The FDA found various products marketed by Rooted Apothecary to be unapproved new drugs because the company’s website and its social media website included claims that the products are intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, PTSD, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cancer, and diabetes.

In addition, the FDA found that Rooted Apothecary unlawfully marketed certain CBD products as dietary supplements. As noted in previous warning letters, the FDA considers products containing CBD to be excluded from the definition of dietary supplements because CBD is the active ingredient in the FDA-approved drug Epidiolex, and CBD was not marketed as a dietary supplement or conventional food prior to the authorization of the clinical investigations of Epidiolex.

The FDA was particularly concerned that Rooted Apothecary markets certain CBD products to infants and children. For example, the company claimed that the “Teeth/TMJ – Essential Oil + CBD Infusion” product will “help calm the inflammation and pain of teething, while also promoting sleepiness for your little one.” The “Ears – Essential Oil + CBD Infusion” product included the claim, “We formulated this for the entire family including our precious little ones.” Further, the company’s website included webpages with statements such as “CBD oil . . . seems like an attractive and safe option for children” and “children can use high amounts of CBD safely and without any risk.”

Regarding the warning letter, Acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless, M.D., said, “We are working to protect Americans from companies marketing products with unsubstantiated claims that they prevent, diagnose, treat or cure a number of diseases or conditions. This is especially concerning when companies are peddling unproven CBD products for use in vulnerable populations like infants and children.” Dr. Sharpless added, “We’ve sent numerous warning letters that focus on matters of significant public health concern to CBD companies, and these actions should send a message to the broader market about complying with FDA requirements.”

The FTC warned Rooted Apothecary that it is concerned that the company lacks the requisite “competent and reliable scientific evidence” to substantiate claims that its products can prevent, treat or cure human disease.

This latest warning letter from the FDA and FTC again highlights the potential pitfalls of marketing CBD products without a thorough understanding of the unsettled and complex regulatory environment for such products. If you need assistance navigating the regulatory environment for CBD or other cannabis-derived products, contact Frier Levitt today to speak with an attorney.

FDA Extends Comment Period on Products Containing Cannabis

Posted on June 20, 2019 by - Government Affairs

The FDA has announced a notice of a comment period extension. The FDA originally solicited the industry in an April 3, 2019 notice, seeking comments to obtain scientific data and information about the safety, manufacturing, product quality, marketing, labeling, and sale of products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds.

In addition to establishing a docket for public comment from its May 31, 2019 public hearing on the issue, the FDA has now extended its comment period until July 16, 2019.

If you are interested in submitting comments to the docket or need assistance navigating the unsettled and complex regulatory environment for cannabis-derived products including CBD, Frier Levitt Government Affairs and Frier Levitt, LLC can help. Contact us today.

FDA Conducts Anticipated Hearing on the Regulation of CBD Products

Posted on June 14, 2019 by - Government Affairs

On May 31, 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a widely anticipated public hearing to gather information on the use of cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD), in consumer products such as foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics. Although FDA did not reveal any new regulatory pronouncements, the hearing marks an important initial step in the Agency’s on-going evaluation of a potential evidence-based regulatory pathway for such products.

At the hearing, Acting Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless delivered opening remarks and reiterated that recent changes to federal and state law, and the explosion of CBD products in the marketplace, have not affected FDA’s view that CBD cannot be lawfully added to any FDA-regulated consumer product. While the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the “Farm Bill”) generally legalized CBD derived from hemp (defined as cannabis with THC content below 0.3% by dry weight), the Farm Bill explicitly preserved FDA’s authority to regulate foods, drugs, dietary supplements and cosmetics containing CBD. Dr. Sharpless said critical questions remain about the safety of widespread CBD use and the Agency will carefully evaluate whether evidence supports the broad use of CBD in FDA-regulated products.

Echoing his predecessor Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Dr. Sharpless noted that FDA is primarily concerned with over-the-counter CBD products that claim to prevent, diagnose, mitigate, treat or cure serious diseases such as cancer. While FDA enforcement to date has focused on CBD products making egregious disease claims, Dr. Sharpless noted that FDA does not have a policy of enforcement discretion with respect to any CBD products.

Over 100 people testified at the hearing from a broad range of interest groups including academia, health professionals, agriculture, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, consumer groups, patients, state governments, public safety organizations, and legal professionals. Speakers discussed a wide array of uses for CBD products and provided anecdotal and scientific conclusions regarding CBD use. Several speakers described the current CBD market as the ‘Wild West’ and emphasized the need for instituting quality assurance and good manufacturing standards. Many speakers also addressed the difficulty of testing CBD products in the current legal environment and how that hinders the creation of quality CBD products.

Comments to the FDA docket may be submitted until July 2, 2019.

If you need assistance navigating the unsettled and complex regulatory environment for cannabis-derived products including CBD, or if you are interested in submitting comments to the docket, contact Frier Levitt Government Affairs today.