UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Federal Trade Commission

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20580

 

June 5, 2020 

Via Electronic Mail

Plexus Worldwide, LLC

c/o Chris Reid, VP Compliance 

 & General Counsel

9145 E Pima Center Pkwy 

Scottsdale, AZ 85258 

Warning Regarding Health Claims Related to Coronavirus 

Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 

Dear Mr. Reid: 

Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) staff has reviewed social media posts made by 

Plexus Worldwide, LLC (“Plexus Worldwide”) business opportunity participants or 

representatives that unlawfully advertise that certain products treat or prevent Coronavirus 

Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”). This letter is to provide you with information about laws and 

regulations enforced by the FTC that may bear upon your business activities, including the 

activities of your business opportunity participants and representatives. 

Some examples of COVID-19 prevention or treatment claims made by your business 

opportunity participants or representatives include:

• A post stating “#Plexus #coronavirüsü #prep #vitamins #health #covid_19 

#covid19” and linking to another post stating “#Plexus #coronavirüsü #prep 

#vitamins #health #covid_19 #covid19” next to an image of Plexus Worldwide 

products and the text “Boost your immunity with our EVERYDAY WELLNESS 

COMBO....”

• “#VIRUS_CORONA Worried? I’ve been boosting my immune system for several 

years with high-quality Plexus supplements. You can too! #Plexus provides 

excellent all-natural supplements that truly work. Be sensible –not fearful. 

Scientifically formulated & doctor-approved! Ask me!” 

• A post stating “We know that runaway inflammation is the culprit behind this 

virus. We’ve all seen what happens when the virus sneaks into the lungs. It gets 

worse – recently, researchers discovered it can damage your heart muscle... and 

even slip into your brain, causing loss of smell and taste. So, how do you stop 

runaway inflammation from damaging your lungs, heart and brain? And how do 

you protect against the virus in the first place? By giving your immune system an 

‘energy upgrade’. Your immune system requires a TON of energy to fight the 

virus. Without enough energy, the virus wins and triggers runaway inflammation. 
2

So, it’s CRUCIAL to get your immune system the energy it needs. These can 

help!!” above an image of four Plexus Worldwide products.

• A post stating “Great information! Looks like the SAME probiotics strains and 

enzymes that are in my ProBio5 are being used to help treat COVID-19 

symptoms. Almost all patients have shown an irregularity in their gut microbiota 

following treatment. Probiotics and pre-biotics are being used to avoid secondary 

reinfection.... #PlexusGetActive” next to an image stating “Some patients with 

COVID-19 showed intestinal microbialdysbiosis with decreasedprobtiotics [sic] 

such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Nutritional and gastrointestinal 

function should be assessed for all patients.Nutritional [sic] support and 

application of prebiotics or probiotics were suggested to regulate the balance of 

intestinal microbiota and reduce the risk of secondary infection due to bacterial 

translocation.”

It is unlawful under the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 41 et seq., to advertise that a product can 

prevent, treat, or cure human disease unless you possess competent and reliable scientific 

evidence, including, when appropriate, well-controlled human clinical studies, substantiating that 

the claims are true at the time they are made. For COVID-19, no such study is currently known 

to exist for the products identified above. Thus, any coronavirus-related prevention or treatment 

claims regarding such products are not supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence. 

You must immediately cease making all such claims.

You are responsible for the claims of your business opportunity participants and 

representatives. As the FTC stated in the January 2019 Business Guidance Concerning MultiLevel Marketing, the compensation structure of a Multi-Level Marketing entity (“MLM”) may 

create incentives for its participants to make certain representations to current or prospective 

participants. “As a consequence, an MLM should (i) direct its participants not to make false, 

misleading, or unsubstantiated representations and (ii) monitor its participants so they don’t 

make false, misleading, or unsubstantiated representations.”

You are advised to review all claims relating to your products immediately cease, and 

require your business opportunity participants and representatives to cease, making claims that 

are not supported by the evidence or substantiation described above. 

Within 48 hours, please send reply via email to COVID-19-Task-Force@ftc.gov

describing the specific actions you have taken to address the FTC’s concerns. If you have any 

questions regarding compliance with the FTC Act, please contact us at COVID-19-TaskForce@ftc.gov.

Sincerely,

Federal Trade Commission Staff