Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III announced that his office reached a settlement with DOC Disinfectant, resolving charges that the company made deceptive and misleading claims that its cleaning products and services were FDA and EPA approved, could eliminate COVID-19, and could protect against the virus on surfaces for up to 90 days.
Specifically, the AG alleged that the company claimed that it provided FDA and EPA approved products that would kill COVID-19 and protect against the virus on surfaces for up to 90 days. The AG said, however, that the product that the company used was not, in fact, FDA or EPA approved.
In addition, the AG alleged that the company made false claims that its product protects against COVID-19, such as, "Since the recent pandemic, many businesses and facilities have had to close their doors and many jobs have been temporarily or permanently terminated. With work spaces, surfaces and people being the source of spreading, many are wondering when, if ever, our society will return back to normal. That's why we at DOC Disinfectant have been working around the clock to create a lasting solution."
The AG also alleged that DOC Disinfectant included the logos of well-known companies on its website in order to "build a reputation with consumers as a legitimate business." The AG confirmed with many of those companies listed that they never worked with DOC Disinfectant or approved the use of their logos.
As part of the settlement, the company was required to pay a small civil penalty and to agree not to make various false claims in the future, including about whether its products are effective against COVID-19 and whether its products are government-approved.
In announcing the settlement, Attorney General Slatery said, “We don't want to see well-meaning individuals and businesses, which are doing everything they can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, misled into using products or services that cannot do what this company has claimed.”
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