WASHINGTON (AFP) - the US Government said Tuesday it is taking steps to withdraw from the market a wide range of products online that promise to heal HIV, herpes, chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Products sold primarily on Internet but also available in some retail stores, include such names as Medavir, Herpaflor, Viruxo, C-Cure and never an outbreak.
They are distributed by us companies targeted 11 in the joint action by the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission.
When it comes to health products, Internet can be a toxic wasteland for consumers, "said Richard Cleland, Deputy Director of the division of advertising practices at the Federal Trade Commission.
"We examined the claims on Web sites and we find ourselves extremely problematic."
A Texas company promotes a product called "oil of oregano" on its website and lists of AIDS, anthrax, genital herpes, gonorrhea and syphilis among its "uses".
Another company announces "breakthrough nutritional science" to "stop current outbreaks and eliminate future" in people with herpes. "."
"" Just say"no!""medicines of treatments for Herpes risky and costly," site Web said, alongside a testimony which says: "I can say finally I no longer have herpes."
There is no cure for herpes, although some federal Government-approved antiviral drugs are available which may reduce the severity of the epidemics.
"These products are dangerous because they are intended for patients with serious diseases, which were found to be safe and effective treatment options are available, said Deborah Autor, Director of the Office of Compliance in the Centre of the FDA for drug evaluation and research.".
"Consumers who purchase these products may not request medical care, they need and could spread infections to sexual partners.
The FDA and the FTC "issued several letters warning that their violent products federal law companies," said a statement from the FDA.
Letters notifying the 11 companies involved that they have 15 days to correct any offence, or face "action to justice, including the seizure and injunction or prosecution," he said.
"It is unlawful... to make advertising a product can prevent, treat, or cure of human disease unless you have competent and reliable scientific evidence including, as appropriate, well controlled clinical studies, justify that the claims are fulfilled at the time they are made"note letters.""
All were sent to the business with us, addresses and the FDA officials said they had no other information on which products are made, either in the United States or abroad.
Officials has also noted that they have no specific reports of injuries from people taking products, and they could not estimate how much products are used by the American public.
"The joint action is the first step in keeping these elements unproven sold to public consumers and avoid being misled," said the statement from the FDA.
Some products are marketed as "dietary supplements", but because they promise to treat the disease that they can be sold by the bias of interstate commerce without approval from the FDA for a new drug application.
"These illegal products could pose significant risks to health," said Howard Sklamberg, Director of the Office of Enforcement from the FDA, in the Office of regulatory affairs.
"Consumers and health professionals should know that he did y all simply no drugs prescription or online supplements available to treat or prevent STDs," he told journalists.
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