ms. engle, i want to know more about your orders. the ftc is now barring defendants from making claims unless they have at least two adequate and well controlled human studies. is that accurate? >> yes, the requirements are the companies have too well controlled studies going forward. >> the ftc is trying to apply that elsewhere. even though there are current guidelines about determining whether evidence exists -- the question is whether you are applying this new standard elsewhere. is there a conflict in some of the regulations you are trying to enforce? >> i don't see any conflict. the basic law is companies must have a reasonable basis for the advertising claims they make at the time they make those claims. what constitutes a reasonable basis will depend on the product and the claim. in the case of products that promised health benefits, the commission has required competent and reliable scientific evidence. what constitutes this will vary depending on the claims. the claim that a product will prevent cancer or treat cancer will r

welcome, ms. engle. >> good morning, madam chair and members of the committee, i mary engle, social director for advertising practices at the federal trade commission. i am pleased to have this opportunity to provide information regarding the ftc's efforts to combat fraudulent weight-loss advertising. as you know the united states is facing an obesity epidemic. nearly 70% of u.s. adults are overweight or obese. excess weight and obesity -- bcr major exhibitors to health care costs and present a serious public health challenge. so it is a surprising there's strong interest in products that claim to vote weight loss. unfortunately, where there is strong consumer interest, fraud often follows. in the ftc's 2011 survey of consumer fraud, we found more consumers were victims of fraudulent weight-loss products than of any of the other specific frauds that we serve it. despite the continuing boom in the weight-loss industry, there exists very little scientific evidence that builds and settlements along can hel

welcome, ms. engle. >> good morning.adam chair and members of the economy too e, i am mary engel, associate member of advertising practices at the federal trade commission. i am pleased to have this opportunity providing information regarding the ftc's efforts to combat fraudulent weight loss advertising. as you know the united states is facing an obesity epidemic. nearly 70% of u.s. adults are overweight or obese. excess weight and obesity are major contributors to chronic diseases and health care costs and present a serious public health challenge. so it isn't surprising that there's strong interest in products that claim to promote weight loss. unfortunately, where there is strong consumer interest, fraud often follows. in the ftc's 2011 survey of consumer fraud, we found that more consumers were victims of fraudulent weight loss products than -- of any of the other specific frauds that we surveyed. despite the continuing boom in the weight loss industry, there exists very little scientific evidence that pills and sup