Trump-Vance DOT Tees Up Abandonment of Airline Consumer Protection Law   

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

Washington, DC –   In its recently released regulatory agenda, the Trump-Vance Administration announced plans to abandon significant pieces of consumer protection law in air travel. The document previewed initiatives that include allowing airlines to use deceptive pricing and leave passengers stranded without mandatory care requirements, like food or lodging.    

While DOT has not released the full details of its proposals, many of the plans appear to violate legal mandates Congress charged DOT with executing. For example, longstanding law prohibits deceptive practices in air travel. Yet Transportation Secretary Duffy plans to remove basic price-transparency protections that enable fair marketplace competition.   

“This is the clearest signal so far that this DOT plans to ignore its public interest mission” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud John Breyault. “Not only is this administration failing to implement long delayed protections, like those for families traveling with young children, it is preparing to claw back protections already in place for the flying public.”   

The agenda announced adverse actions to the following consumer protections:  

  • The Full Fare Advertising Rule, which requires airlines to include all mandatory charges in advertised prices.  
  • The Ancillary Fee Transparency Rule, which requires airlines to disclose common add-on fees at the beginning of the purchasing process.  
  •  The Automatic Refund Rule, which requires airlines to automatically refund consumers’ airfare in the event of a flight cancellation or the spread of serious communicable diseases.  
  • The Airline Passenger Rights Rulemaking, which would have required airlines to provide care (food and lodging) to stranded passengers and cash compensation for controllable flight disruptions.  

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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.    

Fraud, Counterfeits, and Unsafe Doses: NCL Sounds Alarm on Compounded GLP-1 Market

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

Washington, DC –  On behalf of the millions of consumers who have been lulled into believing that compounded GLP-1s are safe and effective for weight loss, the National Consumers League (NCL) appreciates the Food and Drug Administration’s updated policy statement warning that these drugs can carry significant health risks and should only be taken by patients who cannot tolerate the widely available FDA-approved GLP-1 medicines. 

Specifically, the FDA’s statement makes clear that: 

Compounded GLP-1s are unapproved products that do not undergo the FDA’s review for safety, effectiveness, and quality before they are marketed.  

Compounded GLP-1s carry significant safety risks and may cause serious adverse events, hospitalizations, and in some cases death. These adverse events are directly linked to dosing errors when patients measure and self-administer incorrect doses of the drug, and in some cases, when health care professionals miscalculate doses of the drug.  

The FDA has received 1,150 reports of adverse events related to compounded versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide as of July 31, 2025. Because federal law does not require all compounders to submit adverse reaction reports, these numbers are the tip of the iceberg in terms of harm to consumers. 

The FDA is aware of fraudulent compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide marketed in the U.S. that contain false information on the product label.  

The FDA is also aware that counterfeit GLP-1s are widely available online and may contain the wrong ingredients, contain too little, too much, or no active ingredient at all, or other harmful ingredients, and are illegal.  

Similarly, the agency is warning the public that bad actors are illegally selling directly to consumers unapproved ingredients falsely labeled “for research purposes” or “not for human consumption,” which are extremely dangerous. 

Making these concerns known is necessary to protect the public, but the National Consumers League calls on the FDA to take the next step by issuing regulations that will actually solve these problems and keep Americans safe. 

Unless the FDA acts forcefully, the tide of misleading online marketing of compounded GLP-1 drugs will continue, and the public will be faced with a “caveat emptor” approach that requires patients to fend for themselves. As a consequence, consumers will continue to choose treatments that may increase their health risks or opt for fraudulent and counterfeit drugs, including dangerous products that are falsely labeled “for research purposes” or “not for human consumption.” 

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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.    

Children Will Pay the Price for Florida’s Reckless Vaccine Decision

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

Washington, DC — The National Consumers League (NCL) strongly opposes Florida’s decision to weaken vaccine mandate protections, a move that endangers children and families. Vaccines are one of the most effective public health tools in history, eradicating or nearly eliminating diseases that once devastated communities. By removing mandates, Florida risks the return of preventable outbreaks—especially threatening children who are too young to be vaccinated or those who cannot receive vaccines for medical reasons. 

“Vaccines are one of the most effective public health tools in history, eradicating or nearly eliminating diseases like polio and measles that once devastated communities,” said Lisa Bercu, NCL’s Senior Director of Health Policy. “Removing vaccine mandates erodes critical protections for children, leaving them vulnerable to dangerous but preventable illnesses.  Without these safeguards, we risk seeing the return of diseases we thought were behind us.  The government has a responsibility to uphold vaccines as an essential public health safeguard.”

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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.    

Congress, Public Interest Advocates File Amicus Fighting for the Independence of the CPSC

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

Washington, DC — Senator Amy Klobuchar led 25 other members of Congress in filing an amicus brief urging the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to preserve the independence and effectiveness of the Consumer Safety Product Commission (CSPC).  In May, the Trump Administration attempted to illegally fire Commissioners Alexander Hoehn-Saric, Richard Trumka, and Mary T. Boyle.

“The National Consumers League applauds Senator Klobuchar and her fellow amici for defending the spirit and letter of the law, decades of Supreme Court precedent, and the CPSC’s ability to carry out its lifesaving mission,” said Daniel Greene, Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety at the National Consumers League.  

The National Consumers League, Consumer Federation of America, and other leading consumer protection advocates also filed an amicus brief.

“The CPSC’s independence ensures that the agency is mission-driven, guided by experts and science, and insulated from changing political tides.  Silencing the voices of subject-matter experts with whom you politically disagree does not improve government efficiency. It just leads to more unnecessary deaths and more unnecessary injuries.”

In July, the National Consumers League led a letter signed by 100 stakeholders, calling on the administration to cease its attempt to fire the three Democratic CPSC Commissioners illegally. A copy of the letter can be found 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

CDC Guts Food Safety Net: A Dangerous Gamble with American Lives

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

Washington, DC – In 1736, Benjamin Franklin advised the people of Philadelphia that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Our famous forefather was talking about fire prevention but his words should now be directed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recently cut its Food Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) to track only infections from two foodborne pathogens, Salmonella and Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC).  

It is true that Salmonella and STET are among the top contributors to foodborne illnesses in the U.S. Yet, another six major pathogens – Campylobacter, Cyclospora, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia –also contribute to the estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illness in the US every year. And now, CDC has decided that it will be up to the states participating in FoodNet to determine if and how they will track and report illnesses from these pathogens.

It is worth remembering that the CDC created FoodNet in 1995 as a response to the 1992–1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak, when over 700 people were badly sickened and four children died from eating hamburgers containing the deadly strain of Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacterium. It was a national scandal the country vowed not to repeat. “Sadly, the CDC has decided to play Russian Roulette with the health of Americans because states simply do not have the ability to coordinate information and data beyond their borders,” says Nancy Glick, Director of Food and Nutrition Policy at the National Consumers League. Therefore, the detection and information-sharing about major food pathogens will become more difficult and the spread of foodborne disease outbreaks will be more likely.

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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.    

Purging Science from Federal Agencies is Endangering the Health of Every American 

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

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is greatly concerned about the recent upheaval at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including the abrupt ousting of CDC Director Susan Monarez less than a month after she was sworn in. 

“These departures are a warning about the state of science and our public health agencies in America. Government public health experts do not seek high salaries; they are driven by an unwavering commitment to advancing public health, fostering research and development, and ensuring safe, effective, and affordable medicine grounded in science and evidence,” says Lisa Bercu, NCL’s Senior Director of Health Policy.  

“By forcing out these dedicated professionals, this administration and RFK Jr. have significantly weakened our healthcare infrastructure,” Bercu continued. “RFK Jr. is leading one of the most hostile efforts in modern U.S. history against credible science and good medicine—actions that are deeply dangerous to the health and well-being of all Americans.”   

Director Monarez was confirmed on July 29, 2025, through a narrow Senate vote and assumed leadership on July 31. Only weeks later, on or around August 27, she was removed from her position amid accusations of refusing to implement politically motivated directives.   

Additionally, at least four senior CDC officials—Dr. Debra Houry, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Dr. Daniel Jernigan, and Dr. Jennifer Layden resigned in protest, decrying the “weaponization of public health” and politicization of agency leadership. These events signal a grave erosion of science-first governance at one of our nation’s foremost public health institutions. 

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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 Sends Letter to Senate HELP Committee on Lowering Healthcare Costs

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

Washington, DC – On July 31, 2025, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on the rising cost of healthcare and the urgent need for patient-focused reform. Lawmakers and expert witnesses discussed challenges with employer-sponsored insurance, the lack of price transparency, and the profit-driven nature of the U.S. healthcare system.

In response, the National Consumers League submitted a letter urging the Committee to take swift, bipartisan action to address medical debt, pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform, oversight of the 340B program, and healthcare price transparency. These are essential steps to protect consumers and ensure that our healthcare system works for everyone. A copy of the letter can be found 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.    

NCL Report Finds Largest Sports Betting Apps Overwhelmingly Use Push Notifications to Advertise

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The National Consumers League urges policymakers: stop sports betting apps from pushing 24/7 gambling ads

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

In a first-of-its-kind report, NCL has found that 93% of smartphone notifications sent by the three biggest sports betting companies during a 4-week period contained advertising material. The findings are based on the collection of more than 100 notifications. To stop the flood of marketing, NCL is advocating for a prohibition on sports betting advertising, especially the use of push notifications for this purpose. NCL is not advocating for a ban on sports betting.

“Sports betting companies have 24/7 access to consumers through their phones, from the minute they wake up to the second they fall asleep. The use of app notifications for advertisements is an extremely invasive marketing practice that should not be normalized,” said NCL Senior Public Policy Manager Eden Iscil. “The government regulates advertising on television, email, and text messages. But when it comes to push notifications, something that’s arguably more effective than each of those older mediums, there are no protections.”

From the notifications collected by NCL, 62% contained language urging the user to place a bet, often explicitly with words like “bet now.” 50% contained promotional offers, including bonuses, bonus bets, “no sweat” bets, and odds boosts. 28% advertised betting odds and 15% marketed parlays, a risky type of bet with little chance of payout for the bettor. (These rates varied among the three companies.)

To better protect the public from these practices, NCL is endorsing three legislative proposals currently under consideration:

  • The SAFE Bet Act in the U.S. Congress—a proposal that includes a prohibition on sports betting ads containing promotions. The bill would also ban the use of AI to create individualized offers or promotions, and it would significantly restrict the hours that sports betting companies can advertise. NCL found that the apps sent 91% of their advertising notifications outside of the hours that would be permissible under the SAFE Bet Act.
  • The Regulating Addictive Notifications Act in the New York State Senate—a proposal that would prohibit the use of push notifications or text messages for the solicitation of sports wagers.
  • A5207 in the New Jersey General Assembly—a proposal that would prohibit the advertising of sports betting via the internet, including mobile apps.

NCL is also urging the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the aggressive use of push notifications for marketing, which may violate the federal prohibition on unfair and deceptive acts or practices. A blog post outlining how the FTC should consider these advertisements can be found here.

NCL’s full report on sports betting companies’ use of push notifications can be found 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.    

NCL Decries SCOTUS Decision Allowing Dismissal of CPSC Commissioners to Stand

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

Washington, DC – The Supreme Court of the United States, in a 6-3 decision, has upheld the President’s dismissal of three Democratic Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as the broader merits of the firing are being adjudicated in the courts. 

“This is a sad day for product safety and the rule of law in the United States,” said Daniel Greene, Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety. “Congress deliberately established an independent, nonpartisan agency with exclusive authority over the safety of consumer products. This independence ensures that the CPSC is mission-driven, guided by experts and science, and insulated from changing political tides. In allowing this illegal firing to stand, the Court’s stay is inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the law.” 

On May 8, the Trump administration attempted to illegally fire Commissioners Alexander Hoehn-Saric, Richard Trumka, and Mary T. Boyle, who were later reinstated by court order. In contravention of the law, no “neglect of duty or malfeasance” has been alleged. 

Yesterday, 100 stakeholders sent a letter to President Trump calling on the administration to cease its illegal attempt to fire the three Democratic CPSC Commissioners. A copy of the letter can be found 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.    

From Campus to Community: NCL’s 2025 Script Your Future Competition Winners Announced

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

 Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Script Your Future Team Challenge, an annual competition that engages pharmacy students in raising awareness about the importance of medication adherence.  

“The creativity and community spirit these students displayed is inspiring,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “From reaching traditionally underserved populations to building interdisciplinary collaborations, this year’s Script Your Future participants tackled some of the most pressing barriers to medication adherence head-on.”    

2025 Award Winners:  

  • National Award – Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy 
    • The team focused on reproductive health, pediatric medication safety, and drug misuse prevention. They hosted live educational events, launched a student-led health blog for ongoing outreach, and partnered with community groups to expand their impact both in person and online. 
  • Media/Communications Award – Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy 
    • Wilkes students executed a strong media campaign that included a live segment on PA Live!, coverage in the Times Leader, and creative social media outreach. Their use of engaging materials, like a medication adherence bingo board, helped boost interaction and visibility. 
  • Under-Represented Community Outreach Award – Temple University School of Pharmacy 
    •  Temple students conducted outreach across North Philadelphia, partnering with grocery stores, churches, libraries, and senior centers to reach underserved populations with information on safe medication use, drug disposal, and vaccine confidence. 
  • Inter-Professional Award – University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy 
    •  UNM integrated their Challenge campaign into the leadership of the ASHP student chapter and collaborated with students in nursing and medicine. Their events included Legislative Day at the State Capitol and a clinic at a men’s homeless shelter. 
  • Inter-Professional Award – Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy 
    • LECOM students ran 33 events and partnered with nearly 20 organizations. Their campaign, themed “Be SAFE, Be Well,” included collaborations with public health departments, professional associations, and campus-based health advocacy groups. 

This year’s Challenge saw participation from 14 colleges and schools of pharmacy across eight states, reaching approximately 30,000 individuals through in-person events and dynamic media and social media outreach. Teams also partnered with on-campus organizations and even participated in advocacy efforts before their state legislatures.  

The Script Your Future Team Challenge is coordinated by NCL and supported by partners and sponsors including Bayer, Eli Lilly, Kenvue, Pfizer, USP, ASOP Global, ASHP, the Biosimilars Council, the Biosimilars Forum, NABP, and NCPA.  

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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.