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Social media and WhatsApp are replete with unscientific, non evidence-backed cures for prevention and treatment of COVID-19. This thread is about those unverified claims that were propagated and endorsed by the government, politicians or media. 1/n
As early as January 2020, Government of India’s, Ministry of AYUSH released an advisory that prescribed Homoeopathy for Prevention of Coronavirus Infections and Ayurvedic and Unani medicines for symptomatic management 2/n https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1600895 https://twitter.com/pib_india/status/1222385553892528128
Indian Medical Association (IMA) questioned the scientific basis of this protocol. They demanded that Union Health Minister should come clean on the questions posed to him. ‘If not, he is inflicting a fraud on the nation and gullible patients by calling placebos as drugs.’ 3/n
#AltNewsSciCheck studied the claim in detail and found that as with other homeopathic drugs, Arsenicum album30 promoted by the Ministry, has never been tested or proven to reduce coronavirus infections or to prevent coronavirus infections. 4/n https://www.altnews.in/no-homeopathic-drug-arsenicum-album-30-cannot-prevent-coronavirus-infection-as-claimed-by-ayush-ministry/
The Unani formulations that the Ministry prescribed for preventative or symptomatic treatment for Coronavirus were also not scientifically corroborated. 5/n https://www.altnews.in/ayush-ministrys-claim-that-unani-practices-can-prevent-coronavirus-infection-is-false/
Then there were claims about food items that could prevent coronavirus, like this one that made it to the Times of India 6/n https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/coronavirus-prevention-foods-in-india-what-to-eat-to-prevent-coronavirus-top-5-antiviral-food-items-which-are-easily-available-in-india/photostory/74588883.cms
At the same time, a dangerous idea that Indians have higher immunity against novel coronavirus was perpetuated 7/n
The article found many takers but also caused a massive outrage after which the author deleted his tweet. The article was widely circulated on WhatsApp and is still available online. 8/n
#AltNewsSciCheck found that this idea about Indians having higher immunity against novel coronavirus was perpetuated based on an erroneous and superficial interpretation of a single gene study in different ethnic groups. 9/n https://www.altnews.in/indians-do-not-have-genetic-protection-against-coronavirus-published-research-incorrectly-interpreted/
Another article suggested that Indians also had advantage of broad-based immunity due to overexposure to other pathogens, and epigenetic factors like environment & consumption of Indian spices in cuisine. These claims remain w/o any research or scientific evidence 10/n
In June, 2020, Patanjali Ayurved launched an ayurvedic treatment kit called ‘Coronil’ as a ‘cure’ for COVID-19. Indian media outlets ran shows on the kit, referring to it as a ‘breakthrough’ in coronavirus treatment. ‘Pandemic batters world, India announces cure’! 11/n
Some media outlets went a step further in actively marketing the unverified claim on prime time and shared information about how and where to buy Coronil. 12/n
Coronil ran into trouble and AYUSH ministry issued a statement that Patanjali Ayurved has been asked not to advertise the drug as a cure for COVID-19 due to the lack of documents (i.e. proof of efficacy). It was approved as an immunity booster 13/n https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1633690
After AYUSH Ministry disallowed promotion of Coronil as a 'cure' for coronavirus, Patanjali submitted reports to prove its efficacy. #AltNewsSciCheck found that their 'evidence' lacks scientific basis to suggest Coronil can cure Covid-19. 14/n https://www.altnews.in/coronil-lacks-scientific-basis-as-a-cure-for-covid-19-based-on-evidence-shared-by-patanjali/
After this fiasco, Patanjali came back after eight months, this time flanked by 2 Union Ministers including the Health Minister, to present ‘the first evidence based medicine’ for Covid. WHO had to tweet to refute that claim that they had endorsed the ‘cure’. 15/n
Indian Medical Association demanded an explanation from the Health Minister. They asked: ‘Being the health minister of the country and a modern medicine doctor, how ethical is it to promote the unscientific product to the citizens of the country?’ 16/n
Meanwhile a Dabur ad claimed that Chyawanprash protects people from COVID-19. #AltNewsSciCheck found Dabur has published no peer reviewed data to back the claim. 17/n https://www.altnews.in/chyawanprash-lacks-research-against-covid-19-dabur-puts-out-misleading-ad/
Then there were a series of claims by BJP leaders about cow urine and cow dung to fight the virus. 18/n
‘Corona will meet its end with traditional remedies’, declared ZeeNews. ‘How will Corona 2.0 get controlled? The channel wants to address these questions to Ramdev! 19/n
IndiaTV takes it to another level with solutions for tackling emergency situations-
Lungs damaged, oxygen not increasing?
How do you make oxygen in emergency situation? Ramdev has the Ayurvedic solution! 20/n
Lungs damaged, oxygen not increasing?
How do you make oxygen in emergency situation? Ramdev has the Ayurvedic solution! 20/n
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was among those who claimed that inhaling a mix of camphor, clove, carom seeds & eucalyptus oil increases blood oxygen. This is false. In fact, using it for COVID or other serious illnesses can cause camphor poisoning21/n https://www.altnews.in/inhaling-camphor-lavang-ajwain-and-eucalyptus-oil-does-not-increase-blood-oxygen-level/
Today Indian government has announced another ‘ray of hope’, a treatment for ‘asymptomatic, mild and moderate’ cases. This drug was earlier promoted to treat Malaria. #AltNewsSciCheck had evaluated the research to show how it failed to do so 22/n https://www.altnews.in/the-inefficacy-of-ayush-64-the-anti-malarial-ayurvedic-drug-developed-by-ministry-of-ayush/ https://twitter.com/moayush/status/1387677333666947073
As if all this was not enough, the latest episode of PM Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' aired a clip of a doc falsely claiming that nebulizer can be used as an oxygen substitute. The video was debunked by #AltNewsFactCheck a day before it aired on 'MannKiBaat' 23/n https://www.altnews.in/pm-modis-mann-ki-baat-airs-debunked-video-on-nebuliser-as-oxygen-substitute/
One may ask, it may not work but what’s the harm in trying it out? Well, misinformed advice can risk lives during a pandemic as people develop a false sense of security and may delay seeking medical assistance. 24/n
As long as the government and Health Minister endorse treatments that are not evidence backed, and national media gleefully promotes them, fighting scientific misinformation in India will continue to be an uphill task. 25/25
