Gravity Defyer Medical Technology Corporation and its owner, Alexander Elnekaveh, have been ordered to cease making unsupported claims about the pain-relief benefits of their footwear. This decision comes as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The federal court order mandates Elnekaveh to pay a $175,000 civil penalty for allegedly breaching a previous FTC order that prohibited deceptive advertising practices.

According to the FTC's complaint, Gravity Defyer advertised its footwear as having "VersoShock" technology, which purportedly alleviates pain from various medical conditions. The ads claimed that the footwear could relieve knee, back, and foot pain and was clinically proven to reduce such pain significantly. However, these claims were made without adequate scientific backing.

The FTC asserted that Elnekaveh's actions violated a 2001 order against him by making unsupported scientific claims and using misleading testimonials to promote Gravity Defyer products.

The new order requires Gravity Defyer and Elnekaveh to refrain from making any pain relief or disease treatment claims unless supported by reliable scientific evidence, including human clinical trials. They are also barred from misrepresenting research results and must maintain certain records related to clinical studies.

Additionally, Elnekaveh is required to inform retailers selling Gravity Defyer products about the Commission's order. The FTC's final stipulated order was unanimously approved with a 5-0 vote and filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The case was handled by staff attorneys Maria Del Monaco, Derek Diaz, Adrienne Jenkins, and Matthew Scheff from the FTC’s East Central Region.

The Federal Trade Commission continues its mission to promote competition and protect consumers through education. It reminds consumers that it will never demand money or make threats while urging them to report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.