evidence: Justice Department Seeks to Stop Deceptive Marketing of Herbal Tea Product Advertised as COVID-19 Treatment [...] According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the defendants advertised that their herbal tea product, Earth Tea, could prevent or treat COVID-19, without competent or reliable scientific evidence to support those claims. Further, the defendants allegedly made deceptive statements about a scientific study to bolster their unproven COVID-19 claims. The complaint also alleges Earth Tea is an unapproved new drug the defendants are selling in violation of the FDCA. The complaint seeks civil penalties and other available equitable relief, as well as an injunction to stop the defendants from continuing their unlawful marketing and sales of Earth Tea. [...] "Without any scientific evidence, the defendants claimed that drinking their herbal tea is more effective in preventing COVID-19 than approved vaccines, and cures anyone who has gotten ill within 24 hours," said Director Samuel Levine of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. "In bringing this matter with our partners at the Department of Justice and the Food and Drug Administration, the Commission continues its commitment to using every tool available to stop and deter those who would treat the pandemic as opportunity to peddle bogus treatments."