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Professor Andrea Tone dispels Trump myth on Lysol

Published: 30 April 2020

Media outlets cite Professor Andrea Tone’s research on the history and medicinal use of Lysol to dispel US President Trump’s recent suggestion that injecting or ingesting disinfectants can fight the coronavirus. In response to the president’s remarks, the manufacturer of Lysol issued a press statement, warning consumers to restrict their use of the popular disinfectant to inanimate and exterior surfaces. Forbes and CNN, citing Prof Tone’s research, were quick to report on the harm and suffering the ‘internal' use of Lysol has already imposed after American women, guided by a similar logic, used the disinfectant to prevent pregnancies and stave off illness. Decades later, Trump’s remarks revive this debunked-and-dangerous theory, and reminds us all of the need that policy must be based on sound research and evidence.

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