During the early COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, chlorine dioxide emerged as a purported miracle cure. A new government investigation is underway, but experts strongly caution that this bleach derivative carries significant health risks.
As SARS-CoV-2 spread globally, unproven "miracle" remedies proliferated, from India's cow dung therapy to Peru's embrace of chlorine dioxide—a bleach derivative. Typically used as a disinfectant or for bleaching paper and fabrics, ingesting or inhaling it poses serious toxicity risks.
As reported by VICE on May 15, 2021, Peru's Congress passed a motion to form a Ministry of Health committee. This panel will consult scientists and experts on any potential benefits of chlorine dioxide for COVID-19 patients.
Medical professionals have long stated that chlorine dioxide is ineffective against COVID-19 and can be fatal. Yet, Congressman Posemoscrowte Chagua of the Union for Peru party drove the motion, claiming the scientific community spreads misinformation.
Peru suffers the world's highest COVID-19 death rate per capita, and critics argue politicians' promotion of unproven treatments undermines science-based responses.
Samuel Cosmé, secretary general of Peru's Society of Intensive Care Specialists, decried the decision. His team has treated patients whose conditions deteriorated after consuming chlorine dioxide. Notably, Peruvian officials have also endorsed hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, an antiparasitic for scabies.
