By Karen Kier
Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU HealthWise team

On December 25, 2002, Steven Spielberg released the movie Catch Me If You Can based on the autobiography of Frank Abagnale, Jr. The movie starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank and Tom Hanks as FBI agent Joseph Shea. The plot is how a con man serving a prison term starts to work with the FBI to catch cons. The movie inspired other shows including the television series White Collar, which ran from 2009 to 2014. The series featured Matt Bomer as Neal Caffrey, Tim DeKay as FBI agent Peter Burke, and Willie Garson as Mozzie. Neal and Mozzie were con artists and stole valuable artifacts. After being arrested, Neal starts to work for the FBI capturing other criminals. 

Author Alan C. Logan sensed some of Abagnale’s autobiography was fabricated. After a detailed investigation into the case, Logan was able to debunk most of the facts in the book and movie. In his 2020 book "The Greatest Hoax on Earth: Catching Truth, While You Can," Logan masterfully details and unmasks the truth behind Abagnale. The con man is still running a con. Logan discovers very little of the story has any truth. 

Why all the details about a con?

Unfortunately, we are experiencing national shortages of medications to help manage and treat the symptoms of the circulating respiratory viruses. These shortages have created some bad players. If you have tried to purchase cough, cold, or flu medications, you may have found some bare shelves. There are two reasons. One is an actual need due to the tridemic and people are looking for relief. The second is hoarding of products by consumers. The hoarding has two sides as well. Some individuals buy anticipating a future need if they get sick, while others are buying large quantities and reselling them for a profit. Worse than hoarding is fraudulent advertising and selling of products. 

On December 16, 2022, the FDA issued a warning to the public about protecting your family from fraudulent flu products. The FDA talks about dishonest and illegal sellers who are offering unproven products that claim to prevent, treat, or even cure the flu. The FDA wants consumers to know these products have not been evaluated or approved for safe use or effectiveness. 

The FDA warning highlights these products are showing up not only online, but at popular marketplaces and retail stores. These products can be promoted as dietary supplements, foods nasal sprays, or devices. There are no legally approved or marketed over the counter drugs that are capable of preventing, treating, or curing these viruses. There are no dietary supplements, foods, or devices including air filters and light therapies evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please use caution before purchasing any product with these claims.

There are FDA-approved antivirals to help manage the flu. These antivirals come in many forms including pills, liquids, and inhalers as well as an intravenous (IV) infusion. The key is to notify your healthcare provider immediately if you have had a significant exposure to the flu or have symptoms of the flu. These medications work best if started within the first two days of symptoms. The flu medications are FDA-approved for infants as young as 2-weeks-old all the way to adults. 

There have been reports of shortages of some of these antiviral medications, specifically oseltamivir (Tamiflu®). The FDA has not declared a national shortage of this medication although some pharmacies may report out of stock supplies. The antivirals are available and should be considered as an important aspect of treating the flu. 

If you find a shortage of over the counter medications to manage one of the viral infections circulating, please take the time to talk to your pharmacist for other options. Some options for controlling symptoms can include drinking plenty of water, using saline nasal sprays or washes, drinking tea, eating chicken noodle soup, and eating honey. 

Drinking plenty of water is just as valuable to control mucus or phlegm as several medications. A New England Journal of Medicine study reported the value of chicken noodle soup for cold and flu symptoms. A 2018 study demonstrated the ability of catechins found in tea to inhibit the replication of the flu virus. A 2021 article in the British Medical Journal evaluated 14 studies looking at honey for the management of coughs. The study described a significant benefit in the reduction of coughing episodes as well as the severity of the cough. Honey should never be given to infants less than 1 year of age because of organisms that can get into the honey from the soil. 

Don’t be caught up in a medication con, ask your healthcare professional or talk to your pharmacist for advice for the best products for symptom management.

The flu vaccine is still available and is recommended for those 6 months and older to prevent or minimize the impact of the flu on your health. The FDA recommends finding a flu shot near you and it is not too late!

Happy Holidays from the ONU HealthWise team!

ONU HealthWise is offering COVID-19 vaccines as well as flu shots Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.. The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are available. Clinics are Monday through Friday from 4:00-6:00 p.m.. Please call the pharmacy for more information. 

ONU HealthWise Pharmacy
419-772-3784