Maker of Pain-Relieving Copper Clothing Slammed with $1.35 Million Settlement

If copper clothing is on your list of options to treat chronic pain, you might want to rethink that one.

Tommie Copper Inc. is in big trouble with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for claiming that its copper clothing can relieve the pain associated with multiple conditions, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis. The company is based in Mount Kisco, New York.

“It’s tempting to believe that wearing certain clothing will eliminate severe pain, but Tommie Copper didn’t have science to back its claims,” Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a news release.

The company sells shirts, socks, braces, and sleeves that range from $29.95 to $69.50. According to the FTC complaint, Tommie Copper claimed that their garments could alleviated pain comparable or better than drugs or surgery — a declaration that the FTC says is false or unsubstantiated. From April 2011 to October 2014, the company generated around $87 million.

• MD Magazine’s Pain Management specialty page

Television personality, Montel Williams, starred in the company’s infomercials saying, “This can give your life back… Period.” He even went on to say that the garments worked to relieve his multiple sclerosis-associated pain. However, the FTC is saying that Tommie Copper produced false advertisements.

The company is ordered to pay $1.35 million — which could jump to $86.8 million if the federal court declares that the defendants misrepresented the financial condition.

The unanimous Commission vote (4 to 0) authorized the complaint’s approval and has been proposed to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

“If you see an ad for a product that promises to replace the need for drugs or surgery, talk to a healthcare professional before you spend your money,” Rich warned.

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