June 2006
Beware of online bird-flu remedies
Online sellers of prescription drugs and supplements are trying to cash in on bird-flu fears by promoting treatments that are
unnecessary, ineffective, or potentially harmful. Beware of the following types of sales pitches:
- "Stock up on antivirals before supplies run out!" Hoarding supplies of the prescription flu drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) is a bad idea. Private hoarding
could worsen current worldwide shortages and hamper efforts to make emergency supplies available to those who need them the
most in case of an emerging pandemic. And having a private supply at home could tempt you or your family to take the medicine
when it's not needed--when you merely have a bad cold, for example. That exposes you to possible side effects and may help
increase resistance to the drug.
- "Best Tamiflu prices online, no prescription required!" The chance of buying counterfeit drugs is another reason to avoid Internet pharmacies promoting flu prescriptions. The Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency have intercepted shipments of "generic" Tamiflu containing just vitamin C and other ineffective substances.
- "Natural virus shield prevents bird flu!" We could not find any published scientific evidence to support claims that herbs or supplements prevent bird flu. The FDA has taken action to stop the manufacturers of more than a dozen products from making misleading and unsubstantiated claims about bird-flu protection. One substance heavily marketed for flu, colloidal silver, has no proven use against any illness, and even low doses can eventually build up to toxic levels in the body. Scanty evidence suggests that black elderberry syrup may ease the symptoms of seasonal flu. Whether it would help with bird flu is not known. And there's no guarantee that herbs or supplements contain what their label says, since these products are virtually unregulated by the government.
