The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says there are no over-the-counter drugs to treat or prevent sexually transmitted disease, but they’ve found products that claim to. Several companies, selling their products in retail stores and online, claim their products can treat a range of STDs, including herpes, chlamydia, genital warts, HIV, and AIDS.
“These products are dangerous because they are targeted to patients with serious conditions, where treatment options proven to be safe and effective are available,” said Deborah M. Autor, director of the Office of Compliance in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Consumers who buy these products may not seek the medical attention they need and could spread infections to sexual partners.”
The FDA sent ‘warning letters’ to these companies, giving them 15 days to stop marketing their products this way or they face legal action.
“These companies are on notice that advertising health benefits that are not supported by rigorous scientific evidence violates the FTC Act,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “They also should know that health scams that endanger public health will not be tolerated.”
Among the products targeted are Medavir, Herpaflor, Viruxo, C-Cure, and Never An Outbreak. None of their products have been checked out by the FDA for safety or effectiveness.
The FDA says it’s an effort to keep consumers from being misled, and the first step in pulling the products off the shelves.
STD stats
Chlamydia:
In 2009, a total of 1,244,180 chlamydial infections were reported in the U.S. That’s an increase of 2.8% over 2008.
Gonorrhea:
In 2009, a total of 301,174 cases of gonorrhea were reported in the U.S., which is down 10.5% since 2008.
Syphilis:
In 2009, a total of 13,997 cases of syphilis were reported, an increase of 4.5% since 2008.
*Stats based on CDC website information
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