FDA warns of phony H1N1 cure claims

WASHINGTON, June 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reissued its warning against Web site marketing of products claiming to cure, prevent or treat the H1N1 flu virus.

The FDA last month warned consumers regarding products related to the 2009 H1N1 flu, also called swine flu. The products are promoted and marketed as to being able to diagnose, mitigate, prevent or cure the virus, but they are not approved, cleared or authorized by the FDA. The agency said it advised operators of offending Web sites to take immediate action to ensure they were not marketing such products.

Since then, the FDA said it has issued more than 50 warning letters to offending Web sites.

Examples of unapproved or unauthorized products targeted by the FDA included a shampoo that claimed to protect against the H1N1 flu virus, a spray that claimed to leave a layer of ionic silver on one's hands that killed the virus and an electronic instrument costing thousands of dollars that claimed to utilize "photobiotic energy" and "deeply penetrating mega-frequency life-force energy waves" to strengthen the immune system and prevent symptoms associated with H1N1 viral infection.

The FDA said it will consider civil or criminal enforcement action against Web sites that fail to resolve the violations.