Companies warned about shonky bird flu remedies

The appearance of so-called bird flu remedies which have hit the market in the U.S. have prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue warnings to nine companies.

The companies have now been ordered them to stop selling the purported remedies for bird flu and other forms of influenza because they have not been approved by the agency.

The FDA says it is not aware of any scientific evidence that demonstrates the safety or effectiveness of these products for treating or preventing avian flu.

The agency says it is concerned that the use of these products could harm consumers or interfere with conventional treatments.

Warning letters have been sent by the FDA to the nine companies saying they are presenting misleading and unproven claims.

The companies have 15 days to respond.

According to the FDA, literature accompanying the products apparently includes phrases claiming the treatments "prevent avian flu,"is "a natural virus shield" and "kills the virus".

It seems that the majority of the products are marketed as dietary supplements, but because of the claims being made the FDA is regarding them as new drugs that require approval before they can be sold.

The nine companies concerned are: Sacred Mountain Management Inc., BODeSTORE.com, Melvin Williams, Iceland Health Inc., PolyCil Health Inc., PRB Pharmaceuticals Inc., Chozyn LLC, Vitacost.com and Healthworks 2000.

Acting commissioner for the FDA, Andrew von Eschenbach, says that the use of unproven flu cures and treatments increases the risk of catching and spreading the flu rather than lessening it, because people assume they are protected and safe and when in fact they are not.

FDA officials says more warnings against other companies can be expected in the future, and advises consumers to avoid products that make unsubstantiated claims.