Fake Tamiflu "Out-Spams Viagra On Web" 65
cin62 writes "The number of Internet scammers offering fake versions of the anti-swine flu drug Tamiflu has surpassed those selling counterfeit Viagra, reports CNN. Since the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, was declared a global pandemic last month, there has been an increase in the number of Web sites and junk emails offering Tamiflu for sale. 'Every Web site that used to sell Viagra is now selling Tamiflu. We are pretty sure that the same people are making the Tamiflu as are making the Viagra,' said Director of Policy for the UK's Royal Pharmaceutical Society."
This news fits in nicely with a report Wired ran a couple weeks ago about the hysteria behind H1N1.
Tamiflu is a joke (Score:4, Informative)
I don't understand why people go apeshit over this drug. It is not a vaccine. It has only been demonstrated to reduce the duration of illness by just one day. And that only works if you take it within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms at which point you may not know if you have the flu or an ordinary cold. It's amazing that they conned the US government into stockpiling it when it does so little and doesn't save lives.
Given that Tamiflu is a pharma scam (Score:2, Informative)
Tamiflu is nothing but a scam. You have to take it before you actually get the flu ..... no real evidence it actually works. Yet you pay $100+ for 10 pills.
I got the flu and was dumb enough to pay for Tamiflu out of my own pocket. I could had just swallow a couple of Skittles to get the same results. Not a single day of improvement, not a single degree of fever dropped. Not even a little less congestion. Nothing .... if you don't count the $100 of wasted money.
Re:Tamiflu is a joke (Score:4, Informative)
It's best used for prophylaxis - start taking it either right after contact with an infected person or take it for the 'duration' of the outbreak. Of course, the former is difficult to manage as people are asymptomatic but contagious for up to 72 hours after themselves being infected and the latter a bit of a drag if the 'duration' lasts several months. Tamiflu would be most useful for medical personnel and to try to stop the spread from known contacts.
But you're right. Random folks popping the drug whenever they think they need it and stopping it at whenever they perceive the threat over isn't going to be very useful and could well contribute to drug resistant influenza - what joy!
Re:Tamiflu is a joke (Score:5, Informative)
It is very unwise to use Tamiflu as a prophylactic. It has neurological side effects, sometimes severe enough to induce suicidal behavior. Taking it like it's as harmless as a vitamin pill is courting danger. It is also reckless and irresponsible to keep the general populace in the dark by promoting it as wonder cure and causing the sort of over consumption that actually makes it profitable for the drug spammers to make money off the foolish.
Re:Doesn't make much sense (Score:1, Informative)
Price, convenience, I suspect are factors, as well as gullibility.
Not sure if this is true of the US, but in Canada, we need to obtain a prescription to get Tamiflu. Tamiflu is not dispensed lightly (usually) due to concerns for potential of everything becoming resistant to it as well.