FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AuraLife settles matter with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission
Court documents show that the Commission, in its complaint, does not dispute that AuraLife’s current, smartphone-based blood pressure product provides estimates of blood pressure to the performance characteristics published by the company; Commission agrees to settle with AuraLife and its CEO with no admission of fault or wrong-doing and with no monetary payment.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - December 12, 2016 – AuraLife and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached a settlement over marketing of the Instant Blood Pressure app. AuraLife views the settlement and the understanding it established during its discussions with FTC staff as a win for the company.
Instant Blood Pressure is an evidence-based smartphone app developed by a forward-thinking team of biomedical engineers and software developers at AuraLife. The app transforms the smartphone and its sensors into a novel wellness tool for estimating blood pressure without requiring an additional hardware accessory. Instant Blood Pressure generated over 1,200 user reviews and testimonials on the App Store with its most recent version averaging a 4 out of 5-star user rating.
According to court documents, the Federal Trade Commission agreed to settle on terms that AuraLife and AuraLife CEO, Ryan Archdeacon, pay no monetary fine and admit to no alleged fault or wrong-doing. Moreover, AuraLife shares that the Commission, through its own investigation, has evaluated AuraLife’s internal scientific studies and, as shown by court documents, the Commission’s complaint does not dispute (1) that AuraLife’s current Instant Blood Pressure product provides estimates of blood pressure to the expressed performance characteristics published by the company (2) that Instant Blood Pressure’s currently published performance characteristics are backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence and (3) the accuracy of any published performance characteristics of Instant Blood Pressure, past or present.
Company Statement
“We are happy to settle this matter with the Federal Trade Commission.” says Ryan Archdeacon, Co-Founder and CEO of AuraLife. “Its resolution means we can now refocus our time, energy, and resources on furthering digital health innovation. Ultimately, I believe our dialogue with the Commission was a learning experience for both parties and we are excited about our vision for the future.”
“When it comes to the protection and safety of consumers, we are on the same side of the table as the Commission. It has long been our policy to be transparent about the performance of our products and to clearly communicate their intended use.” Archdeacon continued.
“That being said, our company feels that the agency’s heavy handed approach can stifle innovation with a costly and bureaucratic process. The company believes a conversation regarding potential concerns early on would have allowed the Commission and the company to reach a swift resolution, saving time, energy, and taxpayer dollars.” Archdeacon shared.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
What is the company’s view on the FTC’s complaint?
AuraLife takes the FTC’s complaint seriously but takes issue with its substance. We believe the Commission bases their complaint on the idea that AuraLife’s prior marketing of the Instant Blood Pressure app formed a net impression to purchasers through implied, but not expressed, claims that the app was equivalent in performance to a conventional blood pressure cuff. However, AuraLife never claimed that the Instant Blood Pressure app’s performance characteristics were equivalent to that of a conventional blood pressure cuff. It is AuraLife's perspective that disagreement between the parties lie in the interpretation of instructional marketing material. Further, the accuracy of any published performance characteristics of Instant Blood Pressure, past or present, have not been disputed by the Commission. Lastly, the two testimonials cited by the Commission were genuine reviews and the company feels they had little to no impact on consumer perception or purchase decision. They were 2 of over 1,200 genuine reviews.
What is the company’s view on the monetary judgement?
The FTC has agreed to suspend monetary judgment and no monetary payment is being made by the company or its principals. AuraLife would not have agreed to settle this matter had any payment been required.
Has the Federal Trade Commission ever prohibited the company from selling or marketing the Instant Blood Pressure app?
No.
Why did AuraLife decide to settle this matter with the FTC?
The AuraLife team is excited about helping people with transformative health and fitness products, not in lengthy and costly proceedings. Moreover, the AuraLife team was satisfied that it achieved all its goals associated with the settlement terms.
Where does the company publish the performance characteristics of Instant Blood Pressure?
The performance characteristics for Instant Blood Pressure can be found at www.instantbloodpressure.com.
When will Instant Blood Pressure be re-launched?
Announcements relating to the availability of Instant Blood Pressure may be found at www.instantbloodpressure.com.
Where can I find a copy of the related settlement documents?
Signed settlement: http://bit.ly/2gEyWpA; Complaint: http://bit.ly/2hw3mMr
About AuraLife
AuraLife is a leading digital health technology startup in Newport Beach, California. The company was founded in 2012 on a mission to help people better access knowledge and insight about their own well-being. The company believes that today’s smartphones and wearables remain vastly underutilized in their potential to help people build healthier lifestyles. For more information, please visit http://aura.life.
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