Company profiting from unproven COVID-19 claims

The NZ Society for Science Based Healthcare is fighting the good fight against dodgy companies who are seeking to profit from the COVID-19 pandemic by selling dubious products.

As part of this effort, the Society has today informed both ACC and MedSafe about Natural Harmony Acupuncture, run by ACC Treatment Provider Jenny Li, which is selling herbal remedies that are claimed to both prevent and treat COVID-19.

The company is claiming on their website (http://naturalharmony.co.nz/herbal-medicine-for-coronavirus-covid-19/):

“In the Coronavirus crisis in China in 2020, Chinese Herbal Medicine has been widely used in both prevention and treatment of 2019-nCoV with positive results.”

“We feel it is our responsibility to offer protection to our communities in the form of herbal medicine. We have appointed Dr. Jifu Li, Professor of Chengdu TCM University and chief consultant of Sichun Provincial TCM Hospital to make an “Anti-Viral Herbal Formula”. Dr. Li has formulated two herbal products to address this issue.”

The company’s website goes on to detail “Formula One” and “Formula Two”. Formula One is “designed for the most susceptible people in the population, the elderly, children and people with low immune systems”, and “strengthens the vital energy in the body to prevent the virus taking hold”. Formula Two is “designed for people with coughs, fever, fatigue and breathlessness in the early stage of the infection” - it “not only resolves the symptoms, but more importantly prevents the progression of the disease to the more severe stage”.

Both are “made from pure Chinese herbs, boiled and strained, and sealed in plastic bags” and are being shipped to customers via an online contact form (http://naturalharmony.co.nz/book-now/) and phone line (09 929 3631).

Society for Science Based Healthcare Chair, Mark Honeychurch, said “These claims are unproven, dubious, and likely to be dangerous to the general public. As such it is important that not only Natural Harmony, but all alternative health practitioners, are aware that it is not okay to be telling people that they have a cure for COVID-19. It doesn’t matter how fervently they might believe what they’re saying - unless they have medical proof that they are able to treat COVID-19, and permission from the government to make these claims, they should not be advertising their products or services to the public in this way. It’s gobsmacking that some people think this is okay.”

For the last month or so members of the Society for Science Based Healthcare, who meet regularly to report nonsense medical claims, have been making complaints about people in New Zealand claiming to be able to treat Coronavirus. Lockdown hasn't stopped them; they're meeting online, finding unsupported claims and reporting those unscrupulous companies they find trying to make a quick buck out of the very unfortunate situation we’ve all found ourselves in.

“So far we've complained to MedSafe, ACC and the ASA about homeopaths, acupuncturists, naturopaths, and even someone selling Manuka honey and claiming it can protect against COVID-19 infection!” Honeychurch said. “It's extremely concerning to see people out there taking these kinds of risks with other people's lives, and we'd obviously like to see these companies stopped as soon as possible.”