Federal health officials have issued warnings to eight surgical centers and an advertising firm in California for misleading advertisements promoting the lap band. It is a stomach-restricting device used to treat obesity.
The FDA says advertisements by the centers and the marketing firm "1-800-GET-THIN" don't provide essential information about the risks and side effects of lap-band implantation.
In February, the FDA expanded approval for the lap band to patients who are obese.
The device was previously only available for patients with morbid obesity, which means a body mass index of 40 or higher.
