Outcry over Trump鈥檚 鈥榠nject disinfectants鈥 remarks
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US President Donald Trump’s raising of unproven, even far-fetched ideas for fighting COVID-19, including his latest musing about injecting disinfectants into people, triggered an outcry from health officials everywhere.
The US Surgeon General’s office tweeted a reminder to all Americans: “PLEASE always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment/medication to yourself or a loved one.”
Trump’s offhand comment on Thursday wondering if disinfectants could be injected or ingested to fight COVID-19 got intense blowback from doctors and other health officials on Friday. It also prompted blunt warnings from the makers of popular commercial products.
“We must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route),” said a statement from the parent of the company that makes Lysol and Dettol, Reckitt Benckiser.
“Bleach and other disinfectants are not suitable for consumption or injection under any circumstances,” declared the Clorox Co.
The White House said the president’s comments had been misrepresented by the media, and Trump said he had been speaking sarcastically. But a transcript of his remarks suggested otherwise.
He had noted at a Thursday briefing that research was underway into the effect disinfectants have on the virus and wondered aloud if they could be injected into people. “Is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?” Trump asked. “Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.”
Trump, whose daily coronavirus briefings often stretch 90 minutes or longer, abruptly ended Friday’s appearance after only about 20 minutes and without answering questions. He did take questions earlier.
Many Americans apparently were taking Trump’s comments as more than sarcastic.
After receiving more than 100 calls to its hotline, the Maryland Emergency Management Agency tweeted this alert: “This is a reminder that under no circumstances should any disinfectant product be administered into the body through injection, ingestion or any other route.”
Thursday wasn’t the first time the president has talked up prospects for new therapies or offered rosy timelines for the development of a vaccine. He has repeatedly promoted the drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential “game changer” in the fight against the virus.
Last month, the FDA authorized limited use of the malaria drug for hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Studies have found reports of serious side effects, including dangerous irregular heart rhythms, and deaths among patients.
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