Injecting disinfectant could treat COVID-19
| Injecting disinfectant could treat COVID-19 | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "Disinfectant injected or taken into the body, or powerful light applied inside it, could knock out the coronavirus in a minute and might be worth testing as a treatment." | |
| Domain | Health & Medicine |
| Tactic | Pseudoscience / Junk Science |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | April 2020 |
| Origin | President Donald Trump at a White House coronavirus briefing on April 23, 2020 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Health & Medicine | |
At a White House briefing on April 23, 2020, after an official described how disinfectants and sunlight kill the coronavirus on surfaces, President Donald Trump asked whether there was a way to do something similar inside the body, "by injection," and suggested doctors look into it. Disinfectants are poisonous when injected or swallowed. Manufacturers and health agencies issued urgent warnings. The next day Trump said he had been speaking sarcastically.
The claim
The remarks were made at a televised briefing watched by millions during the early months of the pandemic.
What the evidence shows
- Toxic. Bleach, alcohol-based and other disinfectants cause severe damage to tissue and organs when injected or ingested and can be fatal.
- Warnings. Reckitt Benckiser, maker of Lysol and Dettol, said its products should under no circumstances be taken into the body. The US Environmental Protection Agency and medical associations issued similar warnings.
- Calls to poison centers. Several states reported increased calls about disinfectant exposure in the following days, though a direct causal link to the remarks is difficult to establish.
- No treatment. No credible research has shown internal use of disinfectants or ultraviolet light to be a safe treatment for COVID-19.
Lessons for readers
- Never take cleaning products internally.
- A question asked by a powerful person can spread as advice.
Sources
- The White House, transcript of the coronavirus task force briefing, April 23, 2020.
- Reckitt Benckiser, statement on its products and COVID-19, April 24, 2020.