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Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop brand hit with penalties for ‘unsubstantiated claims’

Posted at 11:04 AM, Sep 05, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-05 11:04:27-04

Gwyneth Paltrow attends the In goop Health Summit at 3Labs on June 9, 2018 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for goop)

LOS ANGELES — Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand, Goop, has been slapped with penalties for “unsubstantiated claims.” The products that spawned the charges? Two of Goop’s vaginal eggs and an essential oil-like product.

“Goop advertised that the Jade and Rose Quartz eggs could balance hormones, regulate menstrual cycles, prevent uterine prolapse, and increase bladder control,” the Orange County District Attorney’s office in California said in a statement. “Goop advertised that the Inner Judge Flower Essence Blend could help prevent depression.”

The Orange County DA’s office represents one of 10 California county prosecutors that make up the California Food, Drug, and Medical Device Task Force. The multi-district attorney task force reached a settlement with Goop in which the company “agreed to pay $145,000 in civil penalties, based on limited sales of these products in California,” the statement read.

“It’s important to hold companies accountable for unsubstantiated claims, especially when the claims have the potential to affect women’s health,” Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said in the statement.

In addition to the civil penalties the company must pay, the statement added, “Goop is also barred from making any claims regarding the efficacy of its products without possessing competent and reliable scientific evidence, and from manufacturing or selling any misbranded, unapproved, or falsely-advertised medical devices,” the statement continued.

Full purchase price refunds are being promised by Goop for those who bought the Jade Egg, Rose Quartz Egg and Inner Judge Flower Essence Blend on or between January 12, 2017 and August 31, 2017. Consumers can request a refund by emailing or calling Goop’s customer service department at customerservice@goop.com or 1-844-WTF-GOOP.