NCL Applauds FBI’s Arrests for Fraudulent Sports Betting

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829

Washington, DC – The FBI’s recent arrests for fraudulent NBA sports betting highlight the risk consumers take when gambling. The public deserves a fair playing field. This is an industry that has seen consumers get taken advantage of far too often. Our sports gambling and addiction report warns that easy mobile access, aggressive advertising, and weak consumer protections have facilitated a predatory business model that must be disrupted. Read more details on the report here

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)        

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.    

National Consumers League Statement on Senate HELP Committee Hearing

The 340B program has become a billion-dollar cash cow

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829

Washington, DC – Today, the Senate HELP Committee will hold a hearing on the 340B program, marking an important milestone in the conversation around reforming the program so it serves vulnerable patients – as it was intended to.

“The 340B program has become a billion-dollar cash cow, straying from its original mission and lining the pockets of big hospital businesses instead of helping patients,” said Sally Greenberg, CEO of National Consumers League. “We are hopeful that this hearing will finally push Congress to act. Not to put an end to 340B, but to reform it such that the program can once again serve its purpose.”

For years, the 340B program has grown unchecked, enriching large hospital systems and pharmacy chains while patients continue to face high drug costs and limited access to care. The program’s intent was simple: help safety-net providers stretch resources to reach underserved patients. But increasingly, discounts never reach those who need them most.

Now is the time for action. The National Consumers League urges Congress to use this moment to bring transparency, accountability, and patient-centered reform to 340B.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)        

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.    

At a Critical Moment for Consumer Protections, the National Consumers League Celebrates Champions Who Refuse to Back Down

Awards to be presented to Senator Richard J. Durbin; Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois; Washington State’s Attorney General Nick Brown; and 9to5 founder Ellen Cassedy  

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829   

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) will host its annual Trumpeter Awards Dinner on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The evening begins with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.   

“Consumers have taken a hit this year,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “But this year’s honorees remind us that the fight for consumer protection, fairness, and accountability is alive and well. They represent the best of America’s advocates—leaders who have dedicated their lives to defending consumers, workers, and families.” 

NCL will honor Senator Richard J. Durbin and Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, Washington State’s Attorney General Nick Brown, and 9to5 founder Ellen Cassedy, the recipient of the Florence Kelley Award. Introductions will be made by the Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, NCL Board Secretary Joi Chaney and labor organizer and women’s rights activist Heather Booth. News4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter, Susan Hogan, will serve as Master of Ceremonies.  

For more than 45 years, NCL’s Trumpeter Awards have recognized trailblazers who speak out for social justice, fairness, and consumer rights. This year’s celebration comes at a pivotal time for consumers across the country, as the agencies and protections we all depend on—the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the Federal Trade Commission, have their budgets slashed, their leaders dismissed, and their regulatory agendas dismantled.    

As consumer leaders navigate these unprecedented attacks in a rapidly changing marketplace, NCL’s 2025 Trumpeter Awards Dinner will serve as both a celebration and a call to action—lifting up those who have spent their careers raising their voices for fairness, safety, and justice.   

All press, RSVP to maggieo@nclnet.org. 

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)        

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.    

NCL CEO Sally Greenberg Honored at Girls Inc. DC Champion for Girls Luncheon 

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829  

Washington, DC — The National Consumers League (NCL) is proud to announce that CEO Sally Greenberg will be recognized at the 3rd Annual Champion for Girls Luncheon hosted by Girls Inc. DC. The event, held on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at The Ritz-Carlton West End, celebrates leaders who champion the rights, opportunities, and futures of girls and young women.    

“I am deeply honored to receive the Bold Award from Girls Inc. DC,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “Girls Inc. has been a beacon of empowerment and hope for generations, and I am inspired by the incredible work they do to uplift and support young women. Our girls hold the promise of tomorrow, and ensuring they have every opportunity to thrive is one of the most important investments we can make as a nation.” 

“For more than 150 years, Girls Inc. has inspired girls to be strong, smart, and bold—providing mentorship, advocacy, and life-changing programs that empower the next generation of leaders,” said Joi Cheney, GIDC Board Member, Immediate Past Chair Founder & Principal, J.O.I. Strategies. “Sally Greenberg exemplifies those values through her fearless advocacy for consumers, women, and families. Her leadership, integrity, and bold voice for equity make her a natural choice for this honor.”  

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)       

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.     

Consumer, Patient Safety, and Public Health Groups Petition the FTC to Stop the Deceptive Online Marketing of Unapproved Weight Loss Drugs

A National Consumers League Review Finds the Promotion by Several Online Telehealth Platforms Misleads the Public About the Safety of Compounded GLP-1 Products and Violates FTC’s Prohibition Against False and Deceptive Advertising

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829

Washington, DC, – Now that a Presidential memorandum directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure accuracy in direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising and the September 9 MAHA Report calls on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to apply its existing authorities to DTC telehealth companies, the National Consumers League (NCL) and 12 patient safety, pharmacy, women’s health and minority health organizations have submitted a petition asking the FTC to launch an investigation of the deceptive marketing practices of telehealth platforms promoting weight loss drugs.

Reinforcing the July 17, 2025, letter to the FTC from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), urging a probe of the questionable online marketing surrounding GLP-1 agonists, the petition provides a roadmap for the FTC to investigate the direct-to-consumer advertising practices of telehealth platforms that promote compounded GLP-1 drugs through tactics that violate the FTC’s prohibition against false and deceptive advertising. These practices include ads that expose consumers to unsubstantiated claims and misleading inferences regarding the comparable safety, efficacy, and ingredients used in compounded GLP-1 products. As described in the petition, there has been a 1200 percent increase in “violative or problematic” GLP-1 related ads since 2022, resulting in an alarming amount of misleading information that causes consumer confusion, leads to risk-taking behaviors, and perpetuates fraud.

“Compounded GLP-1s are not the same as FDA-approved medications – and not knowing the differences puts American consumers at risk,” said Sally Greenberg, CEO of the National Consumers League (NCL). “The FTC must act swiftly to stop deceptive advertising and protect consumers from potentially serious health problems associated with compounded GLP-1 drugs.”

Based on an in-depth analysis NCL conducted in April 2025 of the headings, claims, omissions of fact, and use of visuals and hyperlinks contained in widely disseminated TV and digital ads promoting compounded GLP-1 drugs, these practices fall into three categories that violate the Federal Trade Commission Act: 1) ads that omit  “material risk information,” such as side effects and contraindications, 2) content that contains statements and omissions that would mislead a reasonable consumer regarding FDA approval, and 3) unsubstantiated claims regarding product safety and efficacy. Some examples include:

  • Broadcast and digital ads that completely omit all risk and safety information about compounded GLP-1 products
  • Ads that only include brief, superimposed risk declaimers stating that GLP-1 drugs “may differ in risks, benefits, and side effects”
  • Putting risk disclosure information in small, hard-to-read type and flashing it quickly in TV spots
  • Making implied claims of FDA approval and/or the sameness with the branded drug by juxtaposing images of compounded drugs with easily recognized FDA-approved products, or stating that the compounded version has the “same active ingredient”
  • Using terms like “clinically backed weight loss treatment,” “doctor trusted,” and “trusted by experts” with no substantiation

The following organizations joined with the National Consumers League in submitting the petition: Aimed Alliance, American Medical Women’s Association, Association for Safe Online Pharmacies, Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, Health Equity Coalition on Chronic Disease, HealthyWomen, League of United Latin American Citizens, MANA, A National Latina Organization, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, National Council on Aging, National Hispanic Council on Aging, and the Partnership for Safe Medicines.

Because deceptive advertising too often deceives consumers into believing that compounded GLP-1s are as safe as branded versions, only cheaper and easier to obtain online, the petition documents the harm in serious health problems related to dosing errors and reactions to harmful ingredients in compounded GLP-1 products. As of September 9, 2025, the FDA has received 1,424 reports of adverse events associated with compounded GLP-1 drugs, including reports of 329 hospitalizations and 23 deaths, while poison control centers have seen a nearly 1,500 percent increase in calls since 2019 due to overdose or side effects.

Additionally, patient safety advocates warn that many compounded GLP-1s use active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) sourced from China, where quality standards vary and APIs may go uninspected. Further, the petition points to new health risks for consumers as compounders and telehealth companies pivot to promoting “personalized” versions of GLP-1s with added vitamins or microdoses of GLP-1s that have never been studied.

“When drug compounders use added substances or altered dosages to evade restrictions on copying FDA-approved medications, they endanger consumers by dispensing products that have not been proven safe or effective for their intended uses,” said Michael C. Barnes, counsel to Aimed Alliance. “By promoting and selling drugs that have not undergone rigorous clinical trials and FDA review, compounders also erode the integrity of the U.S. drug approval and marketing system.”

While deceptive advertising of compounded GLP-1 drugs is a national problem that perpetuates fraud, advocates are especially concerned about the influence of highly deceptive ads on women, the primary users of GLP-1 drugs, including girls 14 years and younger who are increasingly motivated to take microdoses of a GLP-1 drug to control their weight.  However, those at greatest risk of harm are women of color, who the data show tend to be more susceptible to scams offering cheaper, potentially fraudulent or counterfeit alternatives online, through bodegas or illegitimate channels.

Additionally, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) asserts that Latinas are especially vulnerable to deceptive Spanish language ads on television, radio, and social media, as well as through informal networks – community centers, neighborhood bodegas, and Spanish language Facebook groups – where oversight is nonexistent.

“This is a worst-case scenario for the Latina community,” said Ray Romano, LULAC’s Director of Research and Policy. “For many Latinas, especially those with limited English proficiency, these ads may be their only source of information about compounded GLP-1 drugs. Latina patients are also desperate for affordable treatment, which is why this exploitative marketing creates an especially dangerous pipeline for fraud and harm.”

Study Methodology
Months in development, the petition draws on research on telehealth marketing of compounded GLP-1 products, including a content analysis conducted by the NCL of the headings, subheads, claims, omissions, and the placement of visuals in television and digital ads widely disseminated online in the first half of 2025. The petition also incorporates input from stakeholders focused on patient safety, consumer fraud, and populations especially vulnerable to online misinformation.

The full petition can be found here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. The organization’s mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NHTSA Delays Updates to the Five-Star Safety Rating Program

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829  

Washington, DC— The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) postponed the effective date of updates to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which is a Five-Star Safety Rating Program that provides consumers with important information to compare the safety of different vehicles.  

“Safety delayed is safety denied,” said Daniel Greene, the Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety.  “NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program should be a valuable tool of illumination, providing consumers with vital information necessary to compare the safety of different vehicles.  Regrettably, the five-star safety rating has become a mere participation trophy, with nearly all manufacturers earning four or five stars.  NHTSA must abide by the law and consumer consensus and update NCAP.” 

As required by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NHTSA updated NCAP in 2024 to establish pedestrian crashworthiness ratings, update automatic emergency brake ratings, and create ratings for blind spot warning, blind spot intervention, lane keeping assist, and pedestrian automatic emergency braking.  In response to a request from the automobile manufacturers’ trade association, NHTSA has postponed the effective date of these updates for one model year. 

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.   

NCL Blasts FTC for Undermining Table Saw Safety Standards

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) strongly opposes the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recommendation to roll back proposed safety standards for table saws. Each year, an estimated 54,850 Americans suffer blade-contact injuries—including 4,000 amputations—costing victims their livelihoods and society more than $4 billion annually. 

Active Injury Mitigation (AIM) technology has been available for years. It stops spinning blades in under five milliseconds, preventing 70–90% of injuries. This proven, life-saving technology turns devastating amputations into minor cuts. Yet most manufacturers continue to resist safety mandates. 

“It is outrageous that the FTC would put the profits of table saw manufacturers over the safety of American workers and families,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. In industry terms this is, technology neutral. AIM technology prevents injuries, and calling it anticompetitive is a slap in the face to the tens of thousands of people maimed every year. No one should lose a hand or a career because regulators refused to act.”  

Today’s news underscores why NCL is building a coalition of victims, medical experts, and lawmakers to demand nationwide adoption of AIM technology. We will not back down until every consumer is protected from preventable harm. 

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.    

National Consumers League Statement on FTC Suit Against Live Nation and Ticketmaster

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) today welcomed the announcement that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a bipartisan group of state attorneys general have sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster.  The complaint alleges that Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary rigged the system with deceptive pricing and shady broker deals, raking in hundreds of millions while sticking fans with billions in bogus fees and inflated prices.  

The following statement is attributable to John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud, National Consumers League: 

“NCL applauds the FTC and state attorneys general for bringing this landmark action against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The allegations laid out by the FTC make clear what NCL has long argued: far from being an innocent victim of ticket resale, Live Nation profits from it immensely. By working hand-in-glove with ticket brokers to circumvent ticket limits and then reaping billions in fees on the resale market, Live Nation has sought to corner the secondary ticketing market just as it has monopolized the rest of the live events industry.” 

“For years, consumers and artists alike have paid the price for this anticompetitive and deceptive conduct—through hidden fees, inflated resale prices, and diminished trust in the live event marketplace. Today’s action is a vital step toward holding Live Nation accountable, restoring fairness, and ensuring that fans, not monopolists, are the ones who come first in live entertainment. It also underscores the urgent need for Congress to pass the bipartisan TICKET Act (H.R. 1402/S. 281), which would codify much-needed transparency and consumer protections into law, ensuring lasting reform of a market long tilted against fans.” 

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org. 

Crackdown on Deceptive Weight Loss Drug Ads Marks Victory for Consumers

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Washington, DC – Justice delayed was justice denied to millions of Americans who have been exposed to a flood of deceptive advertising about the safety of the same weight loss drugs that the Food and Drug Administration warns are not approved and “could be risky for patients.”  Now, FDA is standing up for consumers by sending 100 cease-and-desist letters that tell online sellers of compounded GLP-1 drugs that it is a breach of FDA regulation to tout the benefits of the weight-loss drugs without any mention of side effects and to stop this “false or misleading” marketing.  

“Americans need a cop on the beat to protect them from the rampant disinformation now circulating online that causes consumers to tune out the advice of the FDA and leading medical societies and opt for drugs that may cause harm or could be fakes, says Nancy Glick, Director of Food and Nutrition Policy. The National Consumers League welcomes FDA’s commitment to monitor the content and claims of companies promoting GLP-1 weight loss medicines and other prescription drugs and to enforce prescription drug advertising regulations aggressively. 

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.    

NCL Applauds Introduction of Deceptive Downsizing Prohibition Act

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829 

Today, Congressman Correa introduced the Deceptive Downsizing Prohibition Act, a bill that would prevent misleading practices in product packaging, including undisclosed shrinkflation. The National Consumers League (NCL), Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer World, and Public Citizen have endorsed the bill.

“Healthy markets require transparency,” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud John Breyault. “We appreciate that Congressman Correa is leading the charge on this commonsense policy. Consumers deserve to know if they will receive less product than they expect.”

The legislation would prohibit the sale of diminished product amounts without a reduction in packaging size. If businesses choose not to reduce their packaging size, they would have to clearly label on the product that the contents are reduced or face penalties under federal law.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)      

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.