Hyderabad: With the rapid COVID-19 contagion, there is an equal rise in the counterfeit testing kits and drugs in the United States.
Some companies are taking undue advantage of the public panic. Several companies are bombarding people with advertisements about nCoV testing kits.
Similarly, there are some companies that claim to have discovered the cure for novel coronavirus. Many people have already bought such kits and drugs. They have also placed orders for these fake testing kits on e-commerce sites.
With this, the US Food and Drug Administration has stepped in to counter the threat of these counterfeits. The federal agency has made it clear that they did not approve any such testing kits or medicines.
Since there is no definitive drug in place for the COVID-19 infection, the FDA has appealed to the citizens to stay away from fake products and claims. We are working with the pharma companies to find an antidote for the COVID-19. In the meantime, some companies are trying to cash in on this emergency with unapproved products.
People must stay alert and avoid using such drugs. This was the appeal of USFDA to its citizens. The agency said that such counterfeit products are aplenty in the online stores.
Though a home testing kit for coronavirus is beneficial, the FDA confirmed that such a kit has not been made yet. It assured that it is taking measures to keep a check on such fraudulent retailers.
It has made it clear that legal action will be taken against such sellers. Some of the US pharma biotech companies are actively involved in the development of drugs and vaccines to combat COVID-19. The USFDA said that clinical trials of these drugs are still underway.
Such a trend is not confined to the US alone. Even in India, anxious citizens are flocking the medical shops to buy antibiotics and antimalarial drugs. This is why there is a shortage of these drugs in several parts of the country. There is already a scarcity of azithromycin and amoxicillin capsules.
There is also a similar shortage of chloroquine and levocetirizine tablets which are used to treat malaria and seasonal
allergies.
On the other hand, new tablets that claim to boost immunity are thronging the market. There are long queues in shops that sell homoeopathic medicines.
As there have been reports that certain homoeopathic pills can cure nCoV infections, people are panic buying them from homoeopathy stores. But medical experts warn that it is risky to experiment with medications. They urged people to consult a doctor before taking any medicine.
Since there are no proven drugs to prevent the COVID-19 infection, people must stop believing in the rumours and consult a health expert before taking any decision.
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