Crime & Safety
Zicam Inventor Pleads Guilty
Charles B. Hensley pleads guilty to marketing Vira 38, which he claimed could treat bird flu.
The inventor of the cold remedy Zicam pleaded guilty Monday to a single federal charge of marketing Vira 38, an unapproved drug that he claimed could prevent and treat H5N1, commonly known as bird flu, as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, City News Service reported.
- Previously:
A grand jury indicted Redondo Beach resident Charles B. Hensley, 57, in May on four felony and eight misdemeanor charges relating to his sale of Vira 38.
He will be sentenced Nov. 21.
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The Southern California Import Task Force at his home in June.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Hensley's company, PRB Pharmaceuticals, Inc., sought to sell Vira 38 as an influenza treatment in Hong Kong; however, marketing efforts abroad failed, and Hensley started promoting the medication as something that could fight bird flu.
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The drug was not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, making it illegal to import and distribute domestically, according to the indictment.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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