The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is enforcing the laws that protect consumers from illegal products marketed through the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. On May 1, 2009, the FDA warned consumers regarding products related to the 2009 H1N1 flu virus offered on the Internet. The products involved are those that are promoted and marketed to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat, or cure the 2009 H1N1 flu virus but are not approved, cleared, or authorized by the FDA. The agency advised operators of offending Web sites that they must take immediate action to ensure that they are not marketing products intended to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat, or cure the 2009 H1N1 flu virus that have not been cleared, approved, or authorized by the FDA.

Since then, the FDA has issued more than 50 warning letters to offending Web sites and as a result, more than 66 percent of these Web sites have removed the offending claims and/or products.

“We are committed to aggressively pursuing those who attempt to take advantage of a public health emergency by promoting and marketing unapproved, uncleared, or unauthorized products,” said Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs. “We have achieved some success and will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect consumers from these fraudulent, potentially dangerous products.”

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The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, is pleased to announce another measure to address the H1N1 flu virus. The Government of Canada will fund a national influenza research network focused on pandemic vaccine evaluation. The network will strengthen Canada’s capacity to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a pandemic influenza vaccine and vaccination programs.

The network was created through a partnership between the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). It will be led by Dr. Scott Halperin, Director of the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology in Halifax. It will link over 80 scientists from 30 research and public health institutions across Canada. 

“The development and delivery of an effective influenza vaccine are critical to addressing the H1N1 flu virus, said Minister Aglukkaq. This research network will help ensure that Canadians have a safe vaccine that can be provided quickly.” 

The network will provide a pan-Canadian coordinating mechanism for conducting applied public health research that will help governments and the public health community prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic. Network scientists will:

• test methodologies for the performance of rapid clinical trials 
• assess the safety and immunogenicity of a novel pandemic influenza vaccine 
• provide population-based estimates of vaccine safety and effectiveness 
• measure vaccine coverage 
• facilitate the rapid implementation of pandemic influenza vaccine programs

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The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is committed to sharing information about H1N1 flu virus (human swine flu) cases with Canadians. Confirmed cases are posted Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4 p.m. EDT.

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Given that the latest information from Mexico indicates the risk of contracting the virus has decreased and that nearly all of the cases reported in Canada and the United States have been mild, as of May 18, 2009, the Public Health Agency of Canada no longer recommends Canadians postpone elective or non-essential travel to Mexico.

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