9423278 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
In the Matter of HOWARD S. BERG, individually. DOCKET NO. C-3812 DECISION AND ORDER The Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission having initiated an investigation of certain acts and practices of the respondent named in the caption hereof, and the respondent having been furnished thereafter with a copy of a draft of complaint which the Chicago Regional Office proposed to present to the Commission for its consideration and which, if issued by the Commission, would charge respondent with violations of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission Act; and The respondent, his attorney, and counsel for the Commission having thereafter executed an agreement containing a consent order, an admission by the respondent of all the jurisdictional facts set forth in the aforesaid draft of complaint, a statement that the signing of said agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by respondent that the law has been violated as alleged in such complaint, and waivers and other provisions as required by the Commission's Rules; and The Commission having thereafter considered the matter and having determined that it had reason to believe that the respondent has violated the said Act, and that complaint should issue stating its charges in that respect, and having thereupon accepted the executed consent agreement and placed such agreement on the public record for a period of sixty (60) days, and having duly considered the comments filed thereafter by interested persons pursuant to §2.34 of its Rules, now in further conformity with the procedure prescribed in § 2.34 of its Rules, the Commission hereby issues its complaint, makes the following jurisdictional findings and enters the following order:
ORDER DEFINITIONS For purposes of this order, the following definitions shall apply:
I. IT IS ORDERED that respondent, directly or through any corporation, subsidiary, division, or other device, in connection with the labeling, advertising, promotion, offering for sale, sale, or distribution of Howard Berg’s Mega Reading or any substantially similar product in or affecting commerce, shall not represent, in any manner, expressly or by implication, that such product is successful in teaching anyone, including adults, children and disabled individuals, to increase their reading speed above 800 words per minute while substantially comprehending and retaining the material. For purposes of this Part, “substantially similar product” shall mean any product that is substantially similar in components, techniques, composition and properties. II. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that respondent, directly or through any corporation, subsidiary, division, or other device, in connection with the labeling, advertising, promotion, offering for sale, sale, or distribution of any product or program purported to significantly increase one’s reading speed in or affecting commerce, shall not make any representation, in any manner, expressly or by implication, about the benefits, performance, or efficacy of such product, unless, at the time the representation is made, respondent possesses and relies upon competent and reliable evidence, which when appropriate must be competent and reliable scientific evidence, that substantiates the representation. III. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that respondent Howard S. Berg shall, for five (5) years after the last date of dissemination of any representation covered by this order, maintain and upon request make available to the Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission for inspection and copying:
IV. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that respondent Howard S. Berg, for a period of ten (10) years after the date of issuance of this order, shall notify the Commission of the discontinuance of his current business or employment, or of his affiliation with any new business or employment. The notice shall include respondent’s new business address and telephone number and a description of the nature of the business or employment and his duties and responsibilities. All notices required by this Part shall be sent by certified mail to the Associate Director, Division of Â鶹´«Ã½, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580. V. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that respondent Howard S. Berg shall, within sixty (60) days after the date of service of this order, and at such other times as the Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission may require, file with the Commission a report, in writing, setting forth in detail the manner and form in which it has complied with this order. VI. This order will terminate on June 8, 2018, or twenty (20) years from the most recent date that the United States or the Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission files a complaint (with or without an accompanying consent decree) in federal court alleging any violation of the order, whichever comes later; provided, however, that the filing of such a complaint will not affect the duration of:
Provided, further, that if such complaint is dismissed or a federal court rules that the respondent did not violate any provision of the order, and the dismissal or ruling is either not appealed or upheld on appeal, then the order will terminate according to this Part as though the complaint had never been filed, except that the order will not terminate between the date such complaint is filed and the later of the deadline for appealing such dismissal or ruling and the date such dismissal or ruling is upheld on appeal. By the Commission.(1) Donald S. Clark SEAL ISSUED: June 8, 1998 Endnote (1) Prior to leaving the Commission, former Commissioner Azcuenaga registered a vote in the affirmative for this Decision & Order. |