The US Federal Drug Administration is targeting drugs that are unproven to fight the swine flu. The FDA has launched a campaign to target companies that claim they can treat the swine flu. The FDA is looking for medicines that fraudulently claim that they can treat or prevent the swine flu. Homeopathy medicines have become a target. Critics claim that homeopathy claims to fight the swine flu are unproven.
Many consumers are choosing alternatives such as homeopathy instead of going to get the swine flu vaccine. There is much debate if the swine flu vaccine is necessary or even if it works. The public still seems not to trust the swine flu vaccine for some reason. Dealing with the swine flu, no one really knows what medicines will work. Standardized trials with swine flu patients has never been done.
Some of the public distrust comes from the 1974 vaccinations. A few of the swine flu vaccinations lead to death. 40 million were vaccinated and 400 people had died from the vaccination. This is an extremely small number. However, less people died from the swine flu that year than the swine flu vaccination. Vaccines are not really made to much differently than in the 1970s. Vaccine companies say this only happened one year out of the last 39 years. Medical scientists are still not sure what went wrong that year.
Deaths from the swine flu so far are approximately 1000+. The common flu definitely is far larger killer than the swine flu. The FDA also seems to think that the swine flu vaccine will be effective because medical doctors and people producing the vaccines said that it will. No doctor can be 100% sure that the vaccine will work against the swine flu because of the virus mutations. If the vaccine is a close match to strain of H1N1 coming out this upcoming season, the vaccine will protect you from the strain.
The FDA fears that homeopathy may hijack vaccination attempts by people. The FDA has warned homeopathic manufacturers to remove any literature that shows these medicines can treat the H1N1 virus or prevent the virus. Many homeopathic companies have changed their labeling to comply with FDA regulations.
The government may mess up the vaccination themselves. They are not producing nearly enough H1N1 vaccine. They are way behind schedule on the vaccinations. People have been waiting in long lines to get the vaccination only to find out that there is no vaccine available. A distribution plan is being made with the states but there are currently not enough vaccines to come on to the market.
Most people will be able to fight the H1N1 virus without any medicine at all. H1N1 does not kill more healthy people than any other type of flu bug. This is a misconception. Getting the H1N1 vaccine will not harm you. If you are a high risk category such as people with weak immune systems, getting the H1N1 vaccine is highly recommended.
Homeopathy may help to fight off the swine flu virus. The medicine was successful in past outbreaks and has always been successful in fighting the seasonal flu. However, homeopathy has never been proven to prevent H1N1 or the season flu. The FDA has stepped in to make sure medicines do not make any claims about preventing or treating the flu.
