Gwyneth Paltrow's "lifestyle brand" Goop – a frequent peddler of bunk science and dietary supplements in pretty bottles – has landed itself in trouble after making unsubstantiated scientific claims about their vagina eggs. Yep, you did read that correctly.
A legal complaint from the Orange County District Attorney's Office and nine other California prosecutors was filed against Goop Inc last week regarding claims made about the infamous "jade and rose quartz eggs" sold on their website. Goop stated that these eggs could be inserted into the vagina to “balance hormones, regulate menstrual cycles, prevent uterine prolapse, and increase bladder control.”
Needless to say, those claims are totally and utterly unsubstantiated by science.
The complaint also took aim at Goop’s “Inner Judge Flower Essence Blend”, which they said could help prevent depression.
This, again, is total BS.
After Goop was unable to provide any reliable scientific evidence to back their claims, they were ordered to pay $145,000 in civil penalties. They also promised to refund the full purchase price to any consumer who bought any of the three erroneous products.
“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 a statement.
Goop interpreted the situation a little differently, however. In a statement given to numerous media outlets, Goop's CFO Erica Moore said: "Goop provides a forum for practitioners to present their views and experiences with various products like the jade egg. The law, though, sometimes views statements like this as advertising claims, which are subject to various legal requirements. The Task Force assisted us in applying those laws to the content we published, and we appreciate their guidance in this matter as we move from a pioneer in this space to an established wellness authority."
The lawsuit follows a proliferation of criticism and controversy surrounding some of Goop’s more “eccentric” claims. Not long after winning the “Rusty Razor” in 2017, an award for worst pseudoscience of the year, the Goop website started selling a glass jar with some tubes and a squeeze pump designed to spout coffee up the anus.
Unsurprisingly, medically trained doctors weren’t too happy with the idea of people squirting caffeinated drinks up their ass. Timothy Caulfield, a professor of health law & science policy, who wrote about Goop’s science claims tweeted: “No, no, no! #GwynethPaltrow pushing an at-home coffee enema kit? Dangerous, dumb and, um, disgusting.”
