Rx for Products that Claim to Prevent SARS?
A Healthy Dose of Skepticism
Produced
in consultation with
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug
Administration
The daily news coverage about the spread of SARS
(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) has raised public anxiety, and
spawned many website and e-mail promotions for products that claim to
prevent, treat or cure the disease. The Federal Trade Commission
(FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, cautions consumers to
be wary of all promotions related to SARS.
Because much is still unknown about the specific
virus thought to cause SARS, the FTC says consumers should be
skeptical of claims that products like pills, air filtration devices,
and cleaning agents can kill or eliminate the virus. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), major consumer health agencies, say the best
protection right now is to know the basic facts about SARS, practice
good personal hygiene, and visit the CDC’s Web
site for travel
information and guidance.
Federal health and legal authorities say
consumers should be wary of SARS prevention, treatment, or cure claims
for any products. They suggest that if and when consumers see
advertisements touting prevention, treatment or cure claims for SARS,
they should ask themselves one key question: if a medical breakthrough
involving SARS has occurred, would they be hearing about it for the
first time through an advertisement or sales pitch?
Although health authorities are searching for
effective vaccines and treatment drugs, currently, no products are
known to protect against, treat, or cure the virus thought to cause
SARS. In addition, no dietary supplements claiming to prevent, treat,
or cure SARS have yet been tested against the virus.
Know The Facts
SARS appears to spread mainly by cough or sneeze, allowing droplets
containing infectious virus to reach the respiratory tract of people
close by. SARS also may be spread by touching objects contaminated
with infectious droplets and then touching one’s eye(s), nose, or
mouth.
Symptoms of SARS usually begin with a fever of more
than100.4EF (38.0EC). Other symptoms may include headache, overall
discomfort, and body aches. Some people may experience mild
respiratory symptoms. After two to seven days, a SARS patient may
develop a dry cough and have trouble breathing.
Keep Your Hands Clean
Public health authorities advise that basic personal hygiene is
the best protection against infection. They add that the best way to
protect against SARS is frequent and thorough hand washing with soap
and water; waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizers also can be used.
Health authorities currently do not recommend the use of masks,
gloves, or similar gear to prevent SARS when healthy people are in
public areas. But the CDC does recommend that people with SARS should
wear a surgical mask during close contact with uninfected people (for
example, household members) to prevent the spread of infectious
droplets.
Check Travel Advisories for Affected Areas
To lower your risk of infection, the CDC suggests avoiding travel
to those areas for which CDC has issued a travel advisory. The CDC’s
travel advisories are on their web site,
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/travel.htm
Seek Medical Attention
If you think you may have SARS symptoms, or if you may have been
in direct contact with someone with SARS, consult a health care
professional immediately. Only qualified health care professionals
should treat SARS symptoms.
Stay Informed
For more information from the federal government about SARS,
visit: the CDC at
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/
or the FDA at
www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/sars/.
Food and Drug Administration
The FDA regulates over $1 trillion worth of products, which account
for 25 cents of every dollar spent annually by American consumers. It
is part of the FDA’s job to see that the food we eat is safe and
wholesome and that the medicines and medical devices we use are safe
and effective. For more information, call toll-free, 1-888-INFO-FDA
(1-888-463-6332), or visit the FDA Web
site,
www.fda.gov.
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) is recognized as the lead federal agency for
protecting the health and safety of people --
at home and abroad,
providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and
promoting health through strong partnerships. The
CDC serves as the
national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and
control, environmental health, and health promotion and education
activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United
States. Recognized for expertise in Infectious Diseases, the CDC,
located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, is an agency of the Department of
Health and Human Services. General information can be accessed at our
Web site,
www.cdc.gov.
Federal Trade Commission
The FTC works for the consumer to
prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the
marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and
avoid them. To file a
complaint or to get free information
on consumer issues, visit
www.ftc.gov or
call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The
FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related
complaints into
Consumer Sentinel, a
secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law
enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
|
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION |
FOR THE CONSUMER |
1-877-FTC-HELP |
www.ftc.gov |
|
May 2003 |