The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week released an announcement intended 'to protect consumers from health fraud'[1]. The particularly severe current North American influenza season (which doesn't bode well for our upcoming Southern Hemisphere flu season[2]) has apparently lead to an increase in the marketing of products claiming to treat the flu. This is concerning because there are no approved over-the-counter medications for the treatment of influenza, in any developed country. Even the two approved agents in Australia, oseltamivir and zanamivir, are of questionable benefit outside of certain specific situations e.g. pregnancy or a suppressed immune system. So much so that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee rejected the submission of oseltamivir for inclusion on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme back in 2009 and these two drugs have only been available in-hospital or on a private prescription ever since[3].
But the century-old Politician's syllogism of antibiotics being effective against infections, influenza being an infection, and therefore antibiotics being useful for the flu has meant that much of the lay public still believes in the power of medicine to treat their viral illness. As such, the FDA has felt it necessary to advise in excruciating detail advertising claims to watch out for that may indicate an over-the-counter product is fake:
However, this typical American verbosity could simply be summarised as: "If an over-the-counter product claims to have any effectiveness against the flu, it doesn't; don't buy it" That's not to say that a medication may not reduce your fever, ease your muscle aches, or stop your nose from running, but the only things that can kill the flu are your immune system and two fairly ordinary prescription medications. Remember that this flu season. (If you get the flu and want to do something about it, take your advice from these smart people) 1. US FDA Announcement 2. Outbreak Observatory article on flu severity across hemispheres 3. Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee decision on Oseltamivir Better Health Channel article on influenza
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