sartorius: By Toni Clarke

(Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it has become aware of products being sold online that fraudulently claim to prevent or treat Ebola.

The FDA's warning comes on the heels of comments by Nigeria's top health official, Onyebuchi Chukwu, who reportedly said earlier Thursday that eight Ebola patients in Lagos, the country's capital, will receive an experimental treatment called nano-silver.

Erica Jefferson, a spokeswoman for the FDA, said she could not provide any information about the product referenced by the Nigerians.

The FDA did not specify any products in its warning.

Silver has been used as an antibacterial for centuries. Tiny silver particles known as nano-silver have controversially been incorporated into a variety of consumer products such as socks and bedding to help block odors caused by bacteria and mold.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers nano-silver a pesticide. Manufacturers of products that contain it must register them with the agency.

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN0GE2GD20140814?irpc=932 Nano-silver is also sometimes sold online as a dietary supplement even though Danish researchers found in a recent study that nano-silver can penetrate and damage cells.

The FDA regulates dietary supplements and said in its statement that "by law, dietary supplements cannot claim to prevent or cure disease."

The agency said it had received consumer complaints about the Ebola claims.

"Individuals promoting these unapproved and fraudulent products must take immediate action to correct or remove these claims or face potential FDA action," the agency said.

The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa has claimed 1,069 lives so far. Most have been in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Nigeria has confirmed 10 cases of the disease and four deaths.

SmooshCHN: I think I'm the only one thinking this Ebola issue is a plot.

emmydeep: US IS BEHIND EBOLA OUT-BREAK IN AFRICA.

candy:
Mass death I guess

I guess Jonathan just doesn't have the personality and carriage of leaders to be reckeoned with, or why would naija be denied of foreign aides in terms of drugs and other supplies? If it's necessary, guy better go and beg, cap in hand, so that naija doesn't lose out.

candy:
My point is:The international community don't fancy us. However, we are still at their mercy and we either come up with our own cure fast or we go begging on our knees.

This is a desperate situation that calls for desperate measures on all angles. Our leaders can't afford to tow the ego line at this crucial time. Some valuable lives are at stake here.

BTW, what's up with the money naija recently contributed towards this ebola stuff days back? What really is it meant for? To find a cure- which naija won't benefit from? Or to get medical aids for those countries? - aids that we need desperately ourselves!

#still I pray for God's intervention#

cirmuell: Give us Ur serum, you refused. We came up with a 'likely' cure you're whining again...for petes sake what really do the US govt want?

Look around your shop, business, office, home, hospitals, schools, churches, mosques even shrines sef and tell me how many things that we use were made, patented, developed, improved by us.

thegoodjoehunt3: I think our government and the health ministry wants it free of charge. I wonder what the 1.9 billion naira released by President Goodluck Jonathan is for.

SmooshCHN: I think I'm the only one thinking this Ebola issue is a plot.

emmydeep: US IS BEHIND EBOLA OUT-BREAK IN AFRICA.