According to the FDA news release FDA Warns of Unapproved and Illegal H1N1 Drug Products Purchased Over the Internet, “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned consumers to use extreme care when purchasing any products over the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 influenza virus. The warning comes after the FDA recently purchased and analyzed several products represented online as Tamiflu (oseltamivir), which may pose risks to patients.”

FDA scientists bought five products over the Internet that were advertising themselves as “Tamiflu” treatments for the 2009 H1N1 flu (swine flu).

The scientists found that these five supposedly “real” Tamiflu products were really fakes.

For instance, one of the orders initiated by the FDA came from India in an unmarked envelope. When the package was opened, the white pills were taped between two pieces of paper. Upon inspection by the FDA scientists, these pills were found to only contain talc and acetaminophen.

Talc, or talcum powder, is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate—H₂Mg₃(SiO₃)₄ or Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂. Acetaminophen is a common over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer used for headaches, fevers, colds, and the flu.

Other orders contained various amounts of oseltamivir, the active ingredient in Tamiflu.

However, none of the pills were the real pills called Tamiflu and, thus, were not approved by the FDA for use in the United States.

Page two continues with comments from FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg.

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According to the WebMD article Beware Fake Swine Flu Drugs, FDA Warns, FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg stated, "Medicines purchased from web sites operating outside the law put consumers at increased risk due to a higher potential that the products will be counterfeit, impure, contaminated, or have too little or too much of the active ingredient.”

Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) and Relenza (zanamivir) are the only two drugs approved by the FDA to treat H1N1 flu (swine flu).

Both are required to be purchased through a medical professional’s prescription—and are NOT available over the Internet without a doctor’s prescription.

Within the FDA web release, “The FDA urges consumers to only purchase FDA-approved products from licensed pharmacies located in the United States. Consumers should contact their health care provider if they have any questions or concerns about medical products or personal protective equipment.”

To learn more about buying drugs from the Internet, go to the FDA website “Buying Prescription Medicine Online: A Consumer Safety Guide.”

To learn more about the H1N1 flu, go to the FDA website “FDA 2009 H1N1 (Swine) Flu Page.”

The FDA also stated that it routinely purchases and analyzes drugs available on the Internet to determine if they are "real" drugs that are legal to be purchased in the United States.