FDA: Beware of bogus swine flu 'cures'

Fake pills advertised as "Tamiflu" look nothing like the real thing. Actual Tamiflu pills are white-and-orange capsules.

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Story Published: Oct 27, 2009 at 8:53 AM PST

By Herb Weisbaum

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The swine flu emergency has become a big sales opportunity - for people marketing bogus medical products.

Dozens of products are being pitched on the Internet - products that have not been proven to prevent or cure the swine flu.

Buying one of these quack medications or medical devices is more than a waste of money. The Food and Drug Administration warns that, in some cases, they can be dangerous.

With the H1N1 flu vaccine in such short supply, you may be tempted to see if there are other options to protect your family.

And there are - on the Web - but you'd better watch out.

Your search for swine flu treatments may take you to sites where products make bold claims - with no way to back them up.

You'll find impressive-looking respirators - and electronic devices, like the Photon Genie that claims to give off "photobiotic energy." The FDA says - show us the proof.

The biggest category of bogus flu products is nutritional supplements.

"Most of these are combination of herbs, supplement, other natural medicines that have not been shown to be effective at all in terms of flu," says Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center.

"There's just no evidence that anything other than Tamiflu, Relenza, and the vaccine will cure, treat, protect, prevent you from getting the flu."

Health experts are most concerned about products that use silver. A product called "Swine Flu ... Gone" spray boldly claims to "kill the flu virus."

But Dr. Santa says, "There is no evidence that silver works and there is evidence that it can be harmful. My gosh, this stuff can turn your skin blue."

Do an Internet search for Tamiflu, the anti-viral medication, and you might wind up with counterfeit medication. The FDA has confiscated plenty of fakes.

The Food and Drug Administration says it has found 135 products online making unproven swine flu claims. The bottom line - don't make important health decisions based on hits from searches or clicks to Web sites you know nothing about.

More information:

• FDA warns: Swine flu scams lurk on the Internet

• FDA News Release about bogus swine flu remedies

• Consumer Reports: Swine flu scams on the rise

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