A new MLM company with a breakthrough revolutionary product making incredible claims based on glowing testimonials and dubious science. At the bottom of their web page will be a standard disclaimer:

"The statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to be used in the treatment, prevention or cure of disease."

And yet, these very same companies proudly state that their products are manufactured in FDA "registered" facilities or in laboratories that are "inspected" by the FDA. First they disassociate themselves entirely from any FDA evaluation or oversight and then they attempt to establish their credibility on the basis of FDA registration or inspections.

Much like the PDR Physician's Desk Reference scam, the same companies that hide from the FDA with a disclaimer want you to trust them because they are "registered" with the FDA. Any MLM that brags about their inclusion in the PDR and/or claims that they are registered or inspected by the FDA, should not be trusted.

We asked the FDA about this and here's what they told the WWSN:

WWSN: Many companies marketing various dietary supplements or health-related products state that their products are: "manufactured at FDA registered facilities." Exactly what does that mean, and where might we find a list of companies so registered? FDA: Any food facility wanting to do business in the U.S. whether domestic or foreign, must register with the FDA under the bioterrorism act of 2002. It simply means they told us the were intending to sell food in the United States. Sincerely: Ms. Jeannine Ertter, A.S.C.P. Senior Public Affairs Specialist Outreach and Communication Branch Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition WWSN: Many USA supplement companies I have looked at advertise that their laboratories or manufacturing plants where their products are developed or manufactured are "FDA Registered" or "FDA inspected". For example, the company known as "Eniva" in Blaine, Minnesota states that: Unlike most companies in the nutritional supplement industry, Eniva not only markets and distributes its nutritional technologies, but also formulates and manufactures them within its own USDA and FDA inspected facility. EnivaQuality.com Does the FDA and the USDA inspect and somehow certify or approve individual laboratories or facilities and if so, exactly what does that mean? And there must be a listing of facilities that HAVE been inspected and approved by the FDA; where may such a list be found? In how many ways might a facility designed to manufacture OTC health supplements be "registered" with the FDA? Or is the ONLY registration available or required related specifically to the "Bioterrorism Act of 2002"? FDA: Manufacturing plants in the US are inspected on a cyclical basis. This does not infer that the FDA has certified or approved the firm or its products. If they are selling food products including dietary supplements in the US and they are located in the US they fall under FDA jurisdiction and under the FD&C Act we are required to inspect them to determine compliance. If the plants are located abroad they may be inspected by an FDA investigator or the Agency may have a MOU with the country of origin for verification that the facility is in compliance. Imported products are sampled randomly and all are required to be in compliance with the FDA regulations. We do not approve or certify food products or firms. We do not have a list of "approved" facilities because they do not require approval. There is not such thing as a list for "approved facilities" or "registered OTC dietary supplements." The firm registers the manufacturing facility where they may produce several types of FDA regulated products. The FDA does not give approval or certification for food products to include dietary supplements. The registration does only relate to the bioterrorism act of 2002. Sincerely: Ms. Jeannine Ertter, A.S.C.P. Senior Public Affairs Specialist Outreach and Communication Branch Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition