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# FDA Warns on Fraudulent Flu Products
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/fda-warns-on-fraudulent-flu-products/
- Published: 2018-03-02T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T23:27:05.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5140890

FDA has issued a safety alert about unapproved products claiming to prevent, treat or cure influenza. “As the flu continues to make people sick — and even cause deaths — unscrupulous actors may also be taking advantage of unsuspecting consumers by promoting their fraudulent products that have not been reviewed by the FDA to be safe and effective,” FDA commissioner **Scott Gottlieb** says in a [notice](https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm599223.htm?ref=fdaweb.com). FDA is warning consumers to be alert, and try and steer clear of fraudulent flu products, which may be found online or in retail stores.

The agency notice says that there are no legally marketed over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to prevent or cure the flu. However, there are legal OTC products for reducing fever, muscle aches, and congestion. “Products sold online are fraudulent if they claim to prevent, treat or cure the flu, and have not been evaluated by the FDA for that intended use,” it says