The recent Ebola outbreak originating in West Africa is now responsible for over 1,000 deaths and a surge in panic around the world. But, a few enterprising folks have capitalized on this global tragedy to sell a variety of supplements and remedies that claim to prevent or treat the disease.
The news comes from an FDA warning, released yesterday. In it, the agency says it has received a multitude of complaints from consumers about companies claiming their products will keep them safe from Ebola.
As The Verge points out, many of these bogus products are readily searchable on the Internet. For instance, iMNatural claims this garcinia cambogia powder will fight off "intestinal worms, parasites, and Ebola virus." But, legally, no company can claim a dietary supplement will cure or prevent any disease because the FDA doesn't regulate them in the same way they do pharmaceutical drugs.
You can also check out Mountainside Medical Equipment's Ebola virus protection kit, complete with disinfectant spray and five fluid-resistant isolation gowns. Or, if you'd rather go down the really crazy road, there's always Natural Health 365's claim that a big enough dose of vitamin C can cure anything, or Natural News' homeopathic Ebola remedy (which involves alcohol and not much else).
But, there probably isn't any reason for you to be googling Ebola treatments anyway — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the disease does not pose any significant risk to those of us in the United States. It's not a water- or food-borne illness here and it can't be transmitted through the air. The best way to avoid Ebola is still to just avoid the affected locations and leave the real treatment to the pros.