LA reaches settlement with genetic company reportedly selling at-home COVID-19 test kits
LOS ANGELES - City Attorney Mike Feuer stands at a City Hall podium and says, “We know the FDA has not approved a test for home use.” Everyone knows that because it's a question raised every day from people eager to find out if they might be positive, but not symptomatic.
So, when it comes to COVID-19 it should be no surprise that the City Attorney is going after those promoting tests that aren’t approved or just not real.
He’s settled with a company called Yikon Genomics for allegedly selling for $39 bucks a piece - home test kits not at all approved by the FDA.
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Says Feuer, “We know that online this company was offering for sale a test kit for home use. We alleged that they were giving misleading information that they had obtained FDA approval.”
Feuer says the company agreed to stop marketing and selling the so-called test kit.
Other recent actions included working with the Missouri Attorney General to stop televangelist Jim Bakker from promoting a product called Silver Solutions. Supposedly a COVID-19 preventative.
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Another case involved Norwegian Cruise Lines. Feuer explains, “Norwegian Cruise Lines had employees that were telling consumers that warmer climates on a cruise would be a safer way to travel.”
The City Attorney says the company says the employees were not authorized to make such claims and offered restitution to its customers.
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Feuer says this is a time when we as a community need to protect ourselves from fraud, those who mislead, and price gouging. All of which, he says, is going on. Says the City Attorney, “... if you think you’ve been a victim of a COVID-19 scam or price gouging... please contact our office immediately."