In light of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, world leaders and the
media have propelled various treatment modalities that have not been approved by the
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent or cure acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Such treatments include nucleotide analogs (remdesivir),
anti-malarial drugs (chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine), protease inhibitors (lopinavir/ritonavir),
interferon-β, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and renin angiotensin
aldosterone system (RAAS) antagonists [[1], [2], [3]]. The unprecedented circumstances
surrounding this pandemic does not discard the responsibility of respecting medical
ethics, ensuring that medical information is accurate, and the published data meets
expected scientific standards. Clinical trials testing the efficacy of single and
combination treatments are needed to make clear recommendations for treating COVID-19.
To date, there are no evidence-based treatments for COVID-19.
Nonevidence-based remedies are spreading across different populations and endangering
the lives of individuals, particularly those with low health literacy. For example,
given the sacredness of cows in India, some Hindus are drinking cow urine to prevent
COVID-19, a practice backed by government officials [4]. In Iran, social media accounts
circulated false stories of curing COVID-19 by drinking high-proof alcohol, poisoning
over 2000 people due to the inadvertent consumption of methanol with bleach to hide
its color [5]. The quick spread of misinformation regarding nonevidence-based treatments
for COVID-19 may be due to feelings of fear, helplessness, and hope. Because there
is no definitive treatment for COVID-19, people seek remedies based on their level
of knowledge and personal or popular beliefs, which is detrimental to both their own
health and the public's health.
In the United States, President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of injecting
a disinfectant into patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection or treating them with ultraviolet
rays [6]. These remarks are not only dangerous because disinfectants are poisonous
when mishandled, but when these statements are circulated to populations with low
health literacy, people may poison themselves from self-administration. Of note, even
before this statement, there had been a 20% increase in calls to U.S. poison centers
related to disinfectants and cleaning products compared to last year [7]. While some
of these calls are related to accidental pediatric exposures, others involve inadvertent
misuse of the product [7]. There were notable increases in inhalational exposures,
as well as exposures to bleach products and alcohol-based sanitizers [7]. Even though
chloroquine derivates are not approved treatments for COVID-19, President Trump has
tweeted and publicly suggested the therapeutic benefit of the drugs. Due to the media
attention surrounding chloroquine, an Arizona man died after ingesting chloroquine
phosphate (an additive to household products meant to treat fish parasites) in an
effort to prevent himself from getting infected with coronavirus. [8]. In Madagascar,
President Andry Rojoelina launched an herbal coronavirus “cure” produced from the
artemisia plant, yet the WHO stated that the tonic is not evidence-based and is potentially
toxic [9]. Touting unproven COVID-19 treatments will only worsen the current healthcare
crisis, as people will certainly experiment with these remedies. As a result, health
care systems will become overwhelmed with many critically ill patients, from both
COVID-19 and those with toxicity from nonevidence-based treatments.
There has also been increased media coverage for “alternative” remedies to prevent
and treat SARS-CoV-2 infection. For example, the Chinese government encourages the
use of herbal plants to fight the virus including jinhua qinggan capsules, lianhua
qinwen capsules, and shufeng jiedu capsules [10]. These herbal formulas contain a
combination of many herbs and the exact proprietary mixture is not available, posing
a major health risk to patients due to their potential toxicity, contamination, or
adulteration [10]. Although traditional medicine techniques were widely used during
past epidemics such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and H1N1 influenza,
a Cochran Review found that Chinese herbs combined with western medicine did not decrease
mortality versus western medicine alone [11]. Use of Chinese herbal products for treating
viruses is not guided by viral pathology, rather herbs are prescribed by herbalists
according to Chinese diagnostic patterns (inspection, listening, smelling, inquiry,
and palpitation) [12,13]. The implications of medicating with herbal-based formulas
are serious and dangerous because there is no scientific evidence suggesting that
these alternative remedies can prevent or cure COVID-19. There are several adverse
effects noted with herbal medications, such as hepatotoxicity, and there have been
numerous reports of toxic contaminants, including pesticides and heavy metals [14].
Furthermore, although supplementing with vitamins and minerals may improve immune
function, there is no evidence to suggest that the use of any supplement will prevent
or cure COVID-19. Similarly, “cures” spread by Iranian social media accounts (which
include gargling vinegar and rosewater or salt, and drinking concoctions of mint or
white willow with saffron, turmeric, and cinnamon) are not evidence-based, though
they may have other nutritional benefits [15]. Medicating with these herbal formulas
or supplements may lead to adverse health effects due to imprecise dosing of the supplement
or herb, inherent toxicity of the herb itself, or toxicity of the contaminants in
the product, thus complicating the clinical picture.
The spread of nonevidence-based COVID-19 treatments or cures will undoubtedly worsen
the magnitude of the pandemic. As people turn to traditional and nonevidence-based
medicine techniques, it may further stress an already overwhelmed heath care system.
Like the WHO Information Network for Epidemics (EPI-WIN), future efforts from world
leaders and the media should promote the communication of accurate, reliable, and
data-driven content to avoid the spread of misinformation [16].
Financial support
This is a non-funded study, with no compensation or honoraria for conducting the study.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors do not have a financial interest or relationship to disclose regarding
this research project.