http://www.sierratimes.com/archive/files/nov/20/arst112001.htm

Alternative Remedies for Bio Weapons?
The Government is not Happy
Sierra Times 11.20.01

WASHINGTON — The Gig is up, folks: In the most recent example of government authroity run amuck, dozens of Web sites have been warned by the government to stop advertising non-medical treatments for anthrax and smallpox or face prosecution - even if it works.

The products being offered included (get this folks): gas masks and protective suits; mail sterilizers; biohazard test kits; homeopathic remedies; and dietary supplements such as colloidal silver, zinc mineral water, thyme and oregano oil.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said there is no scientific evidence for any of these alternative treatments. And even if you come up with any, it probably won't meet their standards anyway.

The FTC didn't name the Web sites being warned, but said operators who don't comply could be fined, banned from operating or required to repay consumers.

The FTC has been working with the Food and Drug Administration and locals in 30 states, surfing the Internet for products that falsely claim to protect against, detect, prevent or treat biological and chemical agents, or haven't made heavy campaign contributions recently.

The government, bless their omnipotence - has approved certain prescription antibiotics — not dietary supplements — as ways to prevent or treat anthrax, said John Taylor, director of the FDA's enforcement office.

There is no proven treatment for smallpox, nor any FDA-approved home anthrax test. And since most folks can't get their hands on any anthrax anyway to prove that a home test was possible, you'll never get an FDA approval. See how this works?

The agencies found more than 200 Web sites marketing such products and many of them may also receive warning letters, the FTC said. As you can expect, they didn't say how many of these web sites were actually based in the United States

If you got the notice, it wasn't spam. You've got one week to reply.

"These operators need to shut down these areas of their sites or face prosecution," said Howard Beales, the FTC's director of consumer protection. "This should help put an early end to misleading marketing that attempts to prey on people's fears of anthrax, smallpox or any other biological or chemical threats." There was no mention of any pending prosecution of major media outlets as of this time.

Beales said consumers who think they may have been exposed to some kind of biological or chemical agent should consult a doctor immediately, unless your doctor can't do such test, then - well...back to the web sites, we guess.

According to the FTC, consumers should be particularly wary of e-mail advertisements promoting products for dealing with bioterrorism, the FTC said. Consumers should also know that some Web sites may sell ineffective drugs. Consumers should also know that most of the sites the FTC is targeting don't sell 'drugs' by their definition.

The FDA has already shut down several foreign pharmacies illegally selling Cipro on the Internet. The agency said it had no way to tell if the alleged Cipro sold on those Web sites was real or had been manufactured safely. They never asked. They never simply bought a sample and tested it themselves. It is illegal to sell antibiotics over the Internet without a proper doctor's prescription, or the government's approval.

There. That should make you feel safer.

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