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List of unproven methods against COVID-19

There are many fake or unproven medical products and methods that claim to diagnose, prevent or cure COVID-19.[1] Fake medicines sold for COVID-19 may not contain the ingredients they claim to contain, and may even contain harmful ingredients.[2][1][3] In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement recommending against taking any medicines in an attempt to treat or cure COVID-19, although research on potential treatment was underway, including the Solidarity trial spearheaded by WHO.[4] The WHO requested member countries to immediately notify them if any fake medicines or other falsified products were discovered.[4] There are also many claims that existing products help against COVID-19, which are spread through rumors online rather than conventional advertising.

For broader coverage of this topic, see COVID-19 misinformation.

Anxiety about COVID-19 makes people more willing to "try anything" that might give them a sense of control of the situation, making them easy targets for scams.[5] Many false claims about measures against COVID-19 have circulated widely on social media, but some have been circulated by text, on YouTube, and even in some mainstream media. Officials advised that before forwarding information, people should think carefully and look it up. Misinformation messages may use scare tactics or other high-pressure rhetoric, claim to have all the facts while others do not, and jump to unusual conclusions. The public was advised to check the information source's source, looking on official websites; some messages have falsely claimed to be from official bodies like UNICEF and government agencies.[5][6][7][8] Arthur Caplan, head of medical ethics at New York University's medical school, had simpler advice for COVID-19 products: "Anything online, ignore it".[5]


Products which claim to prevent COVID-19 risk giving dangerous false confidence and increasing infection rates.[9] Going out to buy such products may encourage people to break stay-at-home orders, reducing social distancing. Some of the pretend treatments are also poisonous; hundreds of people have died from using fake COVID-19 treatments.[10]

Counterfeit testing kits, which were originally used for testing HIV and monitoring glucose levels, were touted as for coronavirus diagnosis.[14]

[13]

Holding one's breath for 10 seconds was claimed to be an effective self-test for the coronavirus. The WHO stated that this test did not work and should not be used.[16]

[15]

Manufacturer Bodysphere briefly sold what it claimed were coronavirus antibody tests. It falsely marketed them as having received FDA Emergency Use Authorization. It also falsely claimed they were made in the United States.

[17]

Medically-approved tests detect either the virus or the antibodies the body makes to fight it off. Government health departments and healthcare providers provide tests to the public.[11] There have been fraudsters offering fake tests; some have offered tests in exchange for money, but others have said the test is free in order to collect information that could later be used for identity theft or medical insurance fraud. Some fraudsters have claimed to be local government health authorities. People have been advised to contact their doctor or genuine local government health authorities for information about getting tested. Fake tests have been offered on social media platforms, by e-mail, and by phone.[12]

is not more effective than washing in plain soap and water.[23] Washing in soap and water for at least 20 seconds is recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the best way to clean hands in most situations. However, if soap and water are not available, a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol can be used instead, unless hands are visibly dirty or greasy.[19][20]

Hand sanitizer

Soap is effective at removing coronaviruses, but antibacterial soap is not better than plain soap.[22]

[21]

Red soap is not more germicidal than soaps of other colors, contrary to claims in a popular Facebook post, said Ashan Pathirana, the registrar of Sri Lanka's Health Promotion Bureau (HPB); he suggested that it might be a reference to .[24]

carbolic soap

Hand sanitizer prepared at home by mixing rum, bleach and fabric softener has been widely promoted as effective at preventing COVID-19 in YouTube videos in the Philippines. The Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) released statements saying that alcoholic drinks contain only about 40% alcohol, less than the 70% needed in effective hand sanitizers, and that mixing bleach and alcohol creates . The manufacturers of the brands of rum and bleach used in the videos have both publicly issued statements calling the recipe dangerous and urging people not to use it.[25][26]

chloroform

was alleged to be an effective homemade hand sanitizer, or an ingredient in one. The company whose brand was alleged to be protective responded to the rumours by citing the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statement that hand sanitizers needed to be at least 60% alcohol to be effective, and stating that their product was only 40% alcohol.[27][28]

Vodka

Claims that vinegar was more effective than hand sanitizer against the coronavirus were made in a video that was shared in Brazil. That was disproved, as "there is no evidence that is effective against the virus" and, even if there was, "its concentration in common household vinegar is low".[29]

acetic acid

Operation Pangea, launched by international police organisation , seized counterfeit facemasks, substandard hand sanitizers and unauthorized antiviral medication in over 90 countries, resulting in the arrest of 121 people.[164]

Interpol