With Zika becoming an increasingly apparent threat, fraudsters are starting to cash in on the scare by offering products that simply don't work.
In an announcement Wednesday, Aug.3, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a warning to both potential victims and the people looking to exploit them. For the potential victims, he warned them to look out for products that claim to effectively fight Zika, and warned the peddlers of these products that he would "shut them down" and called the marketing of worthless products to concerned New Yorkers "absolutely shameless."
So, what are the products that these companies have been marketing to troubled locals? Schneiderman specifically mentioned products that are based in B vitamins and "essential oils," along with those that claim to emit ultrasound energy that deters mosquitoes, like the iGuard 2.0 Ultrasonic Insect Pest Repellent and STAR Ultrasonic Pest Repeller.
In addition, he mentioned — and indicated quite a distaste for — products such as Wildheart Outdoors Natural Mosquito Repellent Bracelet and Kenza High Quality Zika Mosquito Repellent Smiley Patch, which are targeted toward children.
The problem with all these products is that they use approaches that are neither supported by evidence nor approved by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"There are no magic objects that will keep mosquitoes at bay," said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett.
While there are no sure-fire items that will keep mosquitoes at bay, we do at least have knowledge of some methods that can be undertaken to protect ourselves. For starters, removing standing water in or near your home, as well as wearing pants and long sleeves outdoors, and using mosquito nets indoors are all effective.
Furthermore, insect repellents that contain DEET, Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, icaridin or bayrepel), oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535, are all proven to be effective and are registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and as such, are safe to use.
This development seems odd at first glance, since the news has been dominated by locations like Florida being a hotbed for Zika, but New York has had some cases, too (though not locally-transmitted). Health officials revealed that, thus far, 537 people infected with the virus have been confirmed in the state, the vast majority of whom were connected with travel to affected areas.
In the meantime, efforts to take down the companies offering these knock-off products are already underway. One such company has been slapped with a $300,000 fine by the Federal Trade Commission for falsely claiming that its wristband can erect a 5-foot anti-mosquito barrier that protects the wearer for days.
