On Friday , the United States Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) and the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) sent awarning letterto televangelist Jim Bakker ’s “ Jim Bakker Show ” for advertising a production deceptively vend as a coronavirus cure .
As with any disease outbreaks , COVID-19 has led to itsshare of huckster ; most notably , televangelist Jim Bakker telling witness of his on-line show last month that they could drink Silver Solution ( colloidal silver ) to heal the coronavirus . Obviously , this is not allowed , and the FDA tot the show to itslist of firmsselling fraudulent products that incorrectly claim to cure the fresh disease .
“ There presently are no vaccines , anovulant , potion , lotions , lozenges or other prescription drug or over - the - sideboard products usable to regale or cure coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) , ” the FDA ’s William Correll and FTC ’s Richard Quaresima wrote in the missive .
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https://gizmodo.com/please-do-not-drink-silver-to-kill-the-coronavirus-1841646976
Last calendar month , Right Wing Watchtweeted a section from an episode of Bakker ’s show have the televangelist holding a bottle labeled “ Silver Solution ” while require guest Sherrill Sellman whether it wreak against “ this flu that is now circling the world , ” an erroneous mention for COVID-19 , the disease because of the new coronavirus SARS - CoV-2 . Sellmen , a self - title naturopath , react that while it has n’t been tested on the fresh coronavirus , it has been tested on “ other mental strain of the coronavirus and has been capable to rule out it in 12 hour . ” A chyron below the CRT screen offers four nursing bottle of the solution for $ 80 .
This is simulated , of line . Silver , when employed responsibly in a medical setting , can indeed belt down virus . But , as a bottle of drinkable liquid state , it ’s a panacea peddled by quack .
As of Friday , the show had 48 hours to respond to the FDA ’s notice with an explanation of steps they were occupy to rectify their errors and prevent such a mistake from bechance again . The FDA ’s website does n’t list the show as having taken corrective actions . We reached out to representatives from the show and will update this article if they answer .
Others were happy to see the legal action taken . Center for Science in the Public Interest theater director and chair Peter Lurie praise the FDA , FTC , and the New York Attorney General ’s office for acting to protect consumers .
“ Quacks who commercialize dietary addendum love nothing more than a crisis , ” say Lurie in a statement emailed to Gizmodo . “ For someone like Jim Bakker , a crisis is just an chance to commercialize slimy tablet and potion as miraculous cures . consumer should be very glad at the speed and seriousness with which the FDA , the FTC , and the New York Attorney General ’s billet dealt with Jim Bakker and his silly Silver Solution . ”
It ’s good that the FDA and FTC are rent natural process , but this surely wo n’t be the last fake coronavirus remedy they ’re forced to answer to as the illness begins tospread widely in the U.S.
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