evidence: The Federal Trade Commission, jointly with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, have sued a New York-based marketer of herbal tea, seeking to permanently block deceptive ads that claim its Earth Tea is clinically proven to treat, cure, and prevent COVID-19. The FTC also is seeking to impose civil penalties on the defendants behind Earth Tea under the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act. [...] According to the joint agency complaint, Sinclair and the two companies he owns and operates sell Earth Tea for $60 per 16-ounce bottle to consumers nationwide via social media and the Internet. Since at least April 2020, the complaint alleges, on their own websites and through social media posts and videos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter TikTok, and YouTube, Sinclair, and his companies have misrepresented that Earth Tea prevents or treats COVID-19 and falsely claimed to have evidence of its efficacy. The defendants say they have anecdotal evidence from customers to support the claims, but there are currently no published reports or any well-controlled scientific studies or research indicating that Earth Tea can either prevent or treat COVID-19.