Viewpoint: Watch out for ‘charlatans and scammers’ touting coronavirus cures

essential oils

The coronavirus pandemic has the whole world’s attention. For now, there’s no treatment and definitely no cure for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

That hasn’t stopped charlatans and scammers to claim that they have treatments, and to offer them for sale.

Let’s look at a few marketers who have gotten the attention of regulators just this past week. In the U.S., the FTC and the FDA announced that they just took the following action:

“The FTC and FDA have jointly issued warning letters to seven sellers of unapproved and misbranded products, claiming they can treat or prevent the Coronavirus. The companies’ products include teas, essential oils, and colloidal silver.”

I can’t know for certain which of the people selling these products truly believe they have a treatment for COVID-19 and which of them are knowingly lying. But consumers should beware: false claims will continue to appear as long as there’s money to be made.

No one has a treatment for coronavirus infection. The WHO has a site up now, which I recommend, that dispels many of the myths. I’ll close with a quote from that site:

“To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).”

Read the original post

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

ChatGPT-Image-Apr-20-2026-11_17_18-AM-2
10,000 scientists gone: Trump’s cuts create an unprecedented brain drain
ChatGPT-Image-Apr-22-2026-04_31_20-PM
‘Irresponsible decision’? On mandatory military flu shots, Hegseth chooses ‘freedom’ over health
Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-1.22.58-PM
Anti-biotechnology activists smear hybrid wheat breakthrough that could surge yields in poorer countries
Screenshot-2026-04-22-at-4.10.32-PM
Viewpoint — ‘Completely unethical’: RFK, Jr.’s medical ignorance deprives melanoma cancer-sufferers of a life-saving therapy
ChatGPT-Image-Apr-20-2026-12_28_36-PM
Vaccine skepticism is a growing global problem
ChatGPT-Image-Apr-17-2026-03_30_52-PM
Food labels, decoded: What they really mean
ChatGPT-Image-Apr-21-2026-11_30_48-AM
Stupid study of the month: Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can lead to cancer
ChatGPT-Image-Mar-2-2026-03_22_54-PM
Why ‘support supplements’ for GLP-1 users are mostly a waste of money
images
The never-ending GMO debate: Pros and cons
ChatGPT-Image-Mar-11-2026-11_58_46-AM
The Trump administration has run out more than 4,000 National Institutes of Health employees. Here are the consequences
Screenshot-2026-04-20-at-3.34.46-PM
Viewpoint: How do you sell evidence-based health and science in a world where facts don’t matter?
Screenshot-2026-04-12-135256
Bixonimania: The fake disease scam that AI swallowed whole
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.