TUCSON, Ariz. – Inappropriate medications and household products used to prevent or treat COVID-19 can cause significant harm and no benefit, warns the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center (AzPDIC) at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy.
Absolutely no cleaning products should be ingested or injected under any circumstances. This includes agents such as bleach, ammonia and other common disinfectant products.
Calls to U.S. poison centers about cleaner and disinfectant exposures increased by 20% in the first three months of 2020. The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center has experienced the same increase when compared to calls this time last year.
“Simply put, this is a dangerous idea,” advised Steven Dudley, PharmD, DABAT, director of the AzPDIC. “We manage hundreds of these exposures a year. Swallowing or inhaling these products can lead to trouble breathing, vomiting or burns. When you talk about injecting into the body, the toxicity can become much worse.”
Although the number of deaths can be alarming, most patients who become infected with COVID-19 only require symptomatic care and self-isolation to prevent infecting others and make a full recovery. The consumption of harmful chemicals with no proven benefit can make matters worse.
The use of specific treatments described as “anti-COVID-19,” including certain prescription medications, is not recommended for non-hospitalized patients.
Call 1-800-222-1222 with questions regarding this or any other poison, drug or chemical exposure. The toll-free poison center line is open 24/7/365.
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About the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center
The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center is a center of excellence at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy. The center is staffed by specially trained pharmacists and is certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). The center offers a public health service and provides a training site for students and health-care professionals. For more information: azpoison.com.
About the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy
The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy is the premier pharmacy college in the Southwest, and one of the top in the nation, focused on drug discovery, toxicology, pharmaceutics, health outcomes and sciences, pharmaceutical education and research through interprofessional training and collaborative public/private partnerships. Preparing pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists in undergraduate, professional, graduate and post-doctoral programs, the college embraces an entrepreneurial spirit, providing tailored educational opportunities to broaden students' experiences. Established 72 years ago as the first health sciences college at UArizona, the college has a long history of improving science and health, both in Arizona and around the world. It is currently ranked No. 8 among the nation’s 143 colleges of pharmacy by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. For more information: pharmacy.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube).
About the University of Arizona Health Sciences
The University of Arizona Health Sciences is the statewide leader in biomedical research and health professions training. UArizona Health Sciences includes the Colleges of Medicine (Tucson and Phoenix), Nursing, Pharmacy, and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, with main campus locations in Tucson and the Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. From these vantage points, Health Sciences reaches across the state of Arizona, the greater Southwest and around the world to provide next-generation education, research and outreach. A major economic engine, Health Sciences employs nearly 5,000 people, has approximately 4,000 students and 900 faculty members, and garners $200 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information: uahs.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram).