Bogus flu cures flood US market

With the U.S. facing a severe shortage of H1N1 vaccine, scam artists have taken notice, and are cashing in on the crisis.

Health officials are warning those who wish to avoid long line-ups, and those who may not be able to get flu shots this season to beware of flu products being sold online. In a report from CBS News, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, "We're seeing hoax products being sold on the Internet." Items that claim to prevent and even cure the flu are showing up on the Internet in a big way. Fake merchandise such as air sterilizers, shampoo and bogus Tamiflu are being marketed that do not have the U.S. government stamp of approval. The FDA purchased and tested 5 Tamiflu products from sites that offered the product without prescription and found that one of them contained talcum powder with some Tylenol in them and others did contain some Tamiflu but were not approved by the FDA, says the CBS report. Health officials have threatened legal action against more than 140 vendors advertising fake H1N1 related products. Sebelius says, "Unless a product is licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, it is not valuable and may be potentially dangerous." A list of fraudulent and potentially dangerous H1N1 products can be found on the FDA website.