Avian Spam Quacks

Well, it was to be expected: the first unscrupulous quacks to try and cash in on the avian flu hysteria have arrived via spam. My inbox this morning proudly announced that at http://www.killerflu.net/, April Kelley is offering an eBook (The Avian Flu (H5N1) Prevent and Treat eBook, via ClickBank) that promises to keep you safe and sound when the Big One touches down. Well, to be fair it only claims that:

This unique eBook will help increase your chances of surviving a Pandemic.

At least April's got the decency (well, legal duty I suppose) to state quite clearly (I quote):

NOTE: I do not represent a Doctor nor am I a Doctor and do not claim to be one!

Now, generally speaking I hate to trample on someone else's attempt to make a living but I also hate people who try and make money from other people's irrational fears and by invoking "natural, alternative" methods that will "boost your immune system" and other blatant nonsense. Elsewhere the author states: "I wrote this eBook to help others and I priced it so that everyone can afford it!" Yes, you're such a Good Samaritan...

Let's have a look at some of the free tips:

Research shows that if you are deficient in Selenium that you may be at more risk of dying from this deadly flu virus?

This is patent nonsense. Alternativos drag Selenium into whatever serves them, yet Selenium's role in the human metabolism is negligible.

There is a Doctor that has done extensive research on a common household product that can be used to stop 80% of Flu viruses, find out in the eBook what this product is!

There is a Doctor... If stopping "80% of Flu viruses" could be stopped by a common household product, don't you think we'd all know about it already?

Flu viruses can not thrive in heat; they love cold damp environments; so avoid the chills!

Bullshit: viruses are quite insensitive to temperatures, within reason. Unless you want to try and survive in temperatures that will definitely damage your health, turning up the thermostat isn't going to make a jot of difference.

If your child becomes ill do not give your child Aspirin; this may cause the Reye's Syndrome in conjunction with the Flu Virus!

There's a kernel of truth in this because Reye's Syndrome is thought (there's no certainty on this matter) to be linked both to aspirin and to viral infections, but the statement is an oversimplification at best.

Should you or should you not clean out your ears, find out NOW?!

Yes, to clean or not to clean: that's the question...

If you become sick AVOID: MOST Fruit juices, Chocolate, Sugar and Processed Foods!

Quackery of the purest, unadulterated kind. There's no scientific basis for believing certain foods need to be avoided when you contract the flu.

Take this Natural Antiviral Agent, that may increase your chances of survival!

Note the careful use of "may", rather than the more determined "should" or even "will"... That statement is so undetermined that it's always true.

What did many of the survivors of the 1918 Pandemic have in common; THIS COULD HELP YOU; find out now!

Ditto above.

What role does Protein play in this deadly Flu Virus and how can it help you!!
What type of juice can make flu viruses inactive....

Again, the role of certain foodstuffs in resisting/surviving the flu is largely unknown and likely to be quite negligible.

Did you know that there is a at home test kit that can detect the flu (H5N1) virus let us tell you where to get it!

This may well be true although I couldn't find any references to it. I believe it's always better to rely on a qualified Doctor's diagnosis.

What Foods may help your immune system??
What Antiviral at-home Recipe do we suggest trying...

Foods that help your immune system, Anti-viral at-home recipes... Be very careful not to depend on these completely unproven methods.

Did you know that if you are pregnant you are more at risk to become vulnerable to the bird flu virus?

This is almost certainly nothing more than scaremongering of the sort that are the raison d'être of eBooks like this one.

Who am I? Not a Doctor either, I'll gladly concede that. I'm merely another potential victim of the flu who likes to do his own home research of available information sources. That's all. So don't take my word for it either.

Keywords: avian, flu, avian flu, H5N1, virus