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Your COVID-19 questions answered
Dr. Lisa Ehrlich of the Harris County Medical Society answers viewers questions about COVID-19
A federal judge in Florida has ordered a self-described church to stop selling a bleach-based supposed coronavirus cure.
Prosecutors filed the motion in a South Florida court, requesting a temporary restraining order against the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing. The complaint argues that the “church” cures are dangerous and that the “church” is in fact a secular organization.
The organization markets a “Miracle Mineral Solution” as a cure for a number of diseases, including allergies, blood infections, influenza, lyme disease and, most recently, coronavirus. The MMS contains chlorine dioxide, which the FDA has warned will turn into bleach when mixed with other things.
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Additionally, the group has no testing or clinical review to support its claims. The website redirects to a blog maintained by “Jim Humble,” who lists a number of “facts,” including: “The FDA and other government agencies have written articles branding chlorine dioxide as extremely poisonous, except they have praised its use on food.”
The blog contains a disclaimer at the bottom, which states that “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
The FDA previously sent a letter on April 8 warning the group not to sell its product as a coronavirus cure.
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The organization is described as a “loose knit organization” with a mission statement to do “good deeds” for the “health of all mankind.” Leaders hold titles of “bishop” or “archbishop.”
Unverified coronavirus cures have already claimed hundreds of lives.
In Iran, methanol was touted as a miracle cure, leading to hundreds of deaths as people consumed the unfiltered chemical.