Air "sterilizers." A photon machine. Supplement pills to boost the immune system. Protective shampoos and face masks. Even fake Tamiflu.

These and other products making bogus claims to prevent or treat H1N1 flu are flooding the Internet as scam artists prey on the public's fears while the vaccine is delayed and real Tamiflu is rationed.

Every problem, it would seem, is a sales opportunity. Some of the products appear to have been pitched for other emergencies, such as one called "Quake Kare" and masks and purifiers sold during the SARS scare.

Some products the FDA warned about contain silver, such as "H1N1 Flu...Gone," made by Secrets of Eden. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says silver "may cause harmful health effects," depending on the amount and type of exposure. 

One product that drew a warning letter from the FDA is the Photon Genie, a gadget that delivers "energy waves." Its website claimed it "helps strengthen the immune system, and a strong immune system is KEY to preventing H1N1 flu symptoms and KEY to treating H1N1 flu." 

Most worrisome: sites that claim to sell Tamiflu without a prescription. The FDA bought and tested five such products. One contained powdered talc and generic Tylenol -- no Tamiflu. Several others contained some Tamiflu but were not approved for sale in the U.S.

Doctors, too, are being warned not to prescribe unproven remedies, such as drugs not shown to be safe and effective for H1N1 flu. In this week's New England Journal of Medicine, three FDA doctors caution against use of ribavirin, a drug approved in the U.S. for treating hepatitis C and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a childhood illness.

There have been reports of doctors wanting to try it for seriously ill flu patients, but it can cause a dangerous type of anemia and cannot be used in pregnant women because of the risk of birth defects, said the FDA's Dr. Debra Birnkrant.

For legit information on the H1N1 and seasonal flu, visit the website, ready.illinois.gov.