「コロナ予防」広告に注意　消費者庁、販売業者に改善要請

　新型コロナウイルスの予防効果をうたうインターネット上の商品広告について、消費者庁は１１日までに、販売業者に表示の改善を要請した。消費者に対しては、「効果を裏付ける根拠は認められていない」などと注意喚起している。
　同庁によると、２月２５日～３月６日、ネット上の商品広告の緊急監視を実施。健康食品や空気清浄機などを販売する３０事業者の４６商品が予防効果を掲げていた。健康食品分野が最も多く、「ビタミンＣはコロナウイルスから体を守る」「新型肺炎には早期の漢方が効果的」などとしていた。
　同庁は新型コロナウイルスの特性が解明されておらず、民間施設で効果の検証もできないとして、現段階で予防効果に客観性や合理性が欠けると判断した。景品表示法や健康増進法に違反する恐れがあるという。（2020/03/11-05:17）

Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency has told sellers of products claiming preventive effects against the novel coronavirus on online advertisements to revise their ads.
   "There has been no evidence that confirms such effects," the agency says, warning consumers to be careful.
   The agency conducted emergency surveillance of online goods ads between Feb. 25 and Friday. Forty-six items sold by 30 companies, including health products and air cleaners, were found to be advertising preventive effects of their products against COVID-19, according to the agency.
   Among the items, the number of health food products was largest. Their ads went like this: "Vitamin C protects bodies from the coronavirus," and "Use of Chinese herbal medicines at an early date is effective."
   The agency has concluded that such claims are not objective or reasonable, because the characteristics of the virus are not fully known yet and the purported effects cannot be verified at private-sector facilities.