FTC Fines Two Health Apps That 'Lack Adequate Evidence to Support Their Claims' Both apps said they could diagnose melanoma via simple smartphone snapshots.

By Laura Entis

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You can do so much on your smartphone -- text, call, Snapchat, Instagram, CandyCrush, Tinder, Seamless, Uber…the list goes on. Among this blur of activity, an entire fleet of health apps have sprung up that harness the smartphone as a diagnosis tool of sorts. But a smartphone interaction with a doctor isn't a substitute for in-person professional medical diagnosis and the FTC wants everyone to know it.

Yesterday, the FTC cracked down on two smartphone apps -- both of which say they can detect early symptoms of melanoma -- for failing to make this distinction explicit.

The makers of MelApp and Mole Detective, two apps that analyze user photographs of moles, blemishes and worrisome skin areas in order to calculate the corresponding melanoma risk as low, medium or high, were fined by the FTC for deceptively claiming that their apps "accurately analyzed melanoma risk and could assess such risk in early stages," the agency wrote in a press release. "The marketers lacked adequate evidence to support such claims."

Related: The World's Newest Lie Detector Could Be a Sensor Implanted in Your Mouth

The apps, which were on the market from 2011 to 2012, were downloaded by thousands of people. While health apps have the potential to improve our health, many are relatively untested. That's worrisome, particularly for apps that claim to provide early diagnosis and medical advice.

Consider, for example, the 2013 paper published in the Journal of the American Association, which zeroed in on four melanoma detection apps and found that three of them "incorrectly classified 30 percent or more of melanomas as unconcerning."

With the settlement, the makers of MelApp and Mole Detective will no longer be able to advertise the apps as accurate diagnostic tools until there is enough scientific evidence, "in the form of human clinical testing of the device," to substantiate the claim.

Related: FDA Grants 23andMe Approval to Sell Test for Rare Genetic Condition

Wavy Line
Laura Entis is a reporter for Fortune.com's Venture section.

Editor's Pick

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.
Lock
I Helped Grow 4 Unicorns Over 10 Years That Generated $18 Billion in Online Revenues. Here's What I've Learned.
Lock
Want to Break Bad Habits and Supercharge Your Business? Use This Technique.
Lock
Don't Have Any Clients But Need Customer Testimonials? Follow These 3 Tricks To Boost Your Rep.
Why Are Some Wines More Expensive Than Others? A Top Winemaker Gives a Full-Bodied Explanation.

Related Topics

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Marketing

The Rise of Nano-Influencers: How the Smallest Voices are Making the Biggest Impact

The bigger an influencer is, the more beneficial it is for a brand to collaborate with them, right? Not necessarily.

Management

Which Hiring Strategy Is Right for Your Startup? My Experience Says This One

Startup businesses face a unique environment when it comes to adding the talent it needs during their earliest stages of operations, and every hiring decision is critically important to get right the first time.

Science & Technology

How AI Is Transforming the Accounting Industry — and What the Future Will Look Like

It's time to harness the power of AI and transform bookkeeping.