Influenza Outbreaks Inspire Drug Counterfeiters to Exploit Anxious Populace
7,224 hospitalizations for laboratory-confirmed flu cases have occurred in the United States since October 1, 2012, according to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Weekly Flu Update. Additionally, a January 25th CDC news release reports that influenza infection rates have been running at least 2 percentage points above epidemic classification for the past three weeks. While the CDC and other public health entities are encouraging consumers to be vaccinated, drug counterfeiters look at the US flu epidemic as a cash-making opportunity, warns the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA’s February 1 consumer update warns “As the flu continues to make people sick—and even cause deaths—scammers are alive and well, promoting their fraudulent products to the unsuspecting public.”
With influenza at epidemic rates throughout the United States, the FDA is warning consumers about fraudulent flu “cures” and dangerous fake treatments.
7,224 hospitalizations for laboratory-confirmed flu cases have occurred in the United States since October 1, 2012, according to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Weekly Flu Update. Additionally, a January 25th CDC news release reports that influenza infection rates have been running at least 2 percentage points above epidemic classification for the past three weeks. While the CDC and other public health entities are encouraging consumers to be vaccinated, drug counterfeiters look at the US flu epidemic as a cash-making opportunity, warns the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA’s February 1 consumer update warns “As the flu continues to make people sick—and even cause deaths—scammers are alive and well, promoting their fraudulent products to the unsuspecting public.”
According to the FDA, consumers really need “to steer clear of fraudulent flu products, which can be found online and in retail stores and may include products marketed as dietary supplements or conventional foods, drugs, nasal sprays and devices.”
Gary Coody, R.Ph., FDA’s national health fraud coordinator had this to say about counterfeit flu treatments: “As any health threat emerges, fraudulent products appear almost overnight; right now, so-called ‘alternatives’ to the flu vaccine are big with scammers.”
The FDA has already sent a warning to one natural supplement manufacturer, the makers of “GermBullet” for its unsubstantiated claims such as “An FDA recognized virology lab independently tested GermBullet® inhalation blend and confirmed that it has the potential capability to kill cold and flu viruses.”
The FDA warning refutes this statement saying, “FDA has not ‘recognized’ any virology lab that has independently tested your product. Thus, your product is misbranded under section 502(a) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 352(a).”
The Partnership for Safe Medicine’s President, Marv Shepherd, Director of the Center for Pharmacoeconomic Studies at the University of Texas-Austin, warns, “Every year flu season arrives, and with it, the criminals who exploit it. Don’t buy medication online from unverified sources and don’t buy products that aren’t FDA approved. You endanger your life by ingesting unknown substances from unreliable sources. Flu vaccines are widely available over-the-counter at most pharmacies, and community health clinics can provide flu shots to those who can’t afford to purchase them.”
According to the CDC, there are three preventative measures you can take to fight influenza:
- Take time to get a flu vaccine.
- Follow their everyday preventative actions to stop the spread of germs.
- Take antiviral treatments if your doctor prescribes them.
Purchasing so-called flu-cures from online vendors is not one of them. As the FDA points out however, “There are no legally marketed over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to prevent or cure the flu.”