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EPA Issues Latest in Series of Stop-Sale Orders to Companies Selling Products with Unproven Anthrax Tuberculocidal Claims
Release Date: 01/08/2003
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(01/08/03) On Dec. 23, EPA ordered American Biotech Labs of Alpine, Utah, to immediately stop selling a registered pesticide, ASAP Solution, whose Internet advertising contains unproven claims to kill anthrax, tuberculosis and other public health diseases. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, it is illegal to sell or distribute a registered pesticide with claims about the product that substantially differ from claims accepted as a part of its registration with EPA. Before a legal claim can be made that a product protects people from disease-causing microorganisms, a company must first prove that the product is safe and effective for consumer use. On its Internet site, American Biotech Labs claimed that ASAP Solution is approved by EPA and proven to kill bacteria such as tuberculosis, the anthrax spore, streptococcus pneumonia, yeasts and viruses. The product is registered only as a limited-use disinfectant against gram negative bacteria such as salmonella. Since receiving the Agency’s stop sale order, American Biotech Labs has ceased making these inaccurate claims at its web site. Within the past year, the Agency has ordered four other companies to cease marketing and illegally selling pesticides over the Internet for use against anthrax. In December 2001, EPA ordered Homeland Security Plus of Gilbert, Ariz., and Testing Kits Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to immediately stop selling unregistered pesticides allegedly to be used in protection against anthrax and bio-terrorism. In September 2002, EPA ordered Aerotech Laboratories Inc. Phoenix, Ariz., and American Security and Control, Falls Church, Va., to cease claiming in their advertising that respective unregistered pesticide products allegedly protect against anthrax and cease sales of the products for such purposes. Currently, there are no pesticides registered with EPA to kill anthrax. EPA continues to inspect advertisements on the Internet and other marketing venues to identify unregistered pesticides being sold illegally to the public.
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