[ELI5] How governments allow snake oil “medicine” to sell on TV, light night? Some of these products are dangerous to people, like prostate crap that will do nothing and may prevent the people to survive if diagnosed too late?

Question

[ELI5] How governments allow snake oil “medicine” to sell on TV, light night? Some of these products are dangerous to people, like prostate crap that will do nothing and may prevent the people to survive if diagnosed too late?

In: 1634

Answer 1

In the US, the FDA regulates things that make specific medical claims, such as “[reduces the risk of heart attack](https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20090513/fda-warns-on-cheerios-health-claims)” or “makes your pp bigger.”

So, instead these products just make general claims alluding to “wellness” or “male enhancement.”

Basically, if they don’t advertise like they are *treating a specific medical condition*, they can say whatever they like. Until they run afoul of the FTC, but that’s not very common.