コロナに効くとうたい漂白剤販売、豪当局が宗教団体に罰金

【シドニーＡＦＰ＝時事】オーストラリア医療製品管理局（TGA）は13日、新型コロナウイルスに「奇跡的な」効果があるとうたい、漂白剤を含む商品を違法に宣伝したとして、米宗教団体の支部「MMSオーストラリア」に、計15万1200オーストラリア・ドル（約1050万円）の罰金を科した。（写真は資料写真）
　ＴＧＡによると、ＭＭＳオーストラリアは、高濃度の亜塩素酸ナトリウムを含む「ミラクル・ミネラル・ソリューション（ＭＭＳ）」という商品を宣伝していた。亜塩素酸ナトリウムは、漂白や殺菌に使われる。
　ＭＭＳオーストラリアは、米国に活動拠点を置き、教会を名乗る団体「健康と癒やしのジェネシスＩＩ教会」の支部。健康と癒やしのジェネシスＩＩ教会も漂白に使われる二酸化塩素を含むＭＭＳを販売・頒布していたが、米司法省からの差し止め命令を受けた。
　健康と癒やしのジェネシスＩＩ教会に関連しているとされるウェブサイトには、ＭＭＳはアルツハイマー病からマラリアまで万病に効くという顧客の声が載せられていたが、証拠は示されていなかった。
　ＴＧＡは、「ＭＭＳの摂取によって生じ得る有害な影響への懸念」から、ＭＭＳオーストラリアに罰金を科したと説明。「ＭＭＳを服用すれば万病を治癒・緩和できるという主張について、臨床的・科学的に認められる証拠はない」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/05/15-12:01）

A church in Australia has been fined for unlawfully advertising a purported miracle coronavirus cure that contains a bleach product, the Therapeutic Goods Administration said Wednesday.
The medical regulator said MMS Australia had received 12 fines totalling Aus$151,200 (US$98,000) for promoting its Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), which the TGA said contained a high concentration of sodium chlorite -- a chemical used as a textile bleaching agent and disinfectant.
MMS Australia is a chapter of the US-based Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, which is subject to a US Justice Department injunction preventing it from selling or distributing its own version of MMS containing the bleach product chlorine dioxide.
A website purportedly linked to the Genesis II Church has listed testimonials claiming -- without evidence -- that MMS can cure everything from Alzheimer's to malaria.
Australia's TGA said it had fined the church because it was concerned about the harmful effects that can be caused by the ingestion of MMS.
There is no clinical, scientifically-accepted evidence showing that MMS can cure or alleviate any disease, the regulator said.
The use of MMS presents serious health risks, and can result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and severe dehydration, which in some cases can result in hospitalisation.
MMS Australia is still advertising the products on its website, but said it had removed some text from the descriptions to stay compliant with touted advertising laws and regulations.
It added that media lies that our site promotes the drinking of dangerous industrial bleach had led to ignorant and reprehensible, harrasment (sic) and attacks on our Church.
The church claims on the site that, contrary to TGA's findings, it does not list or sell any therapeutic goods, as defined by legislation, and any apparent mention or reference to same is inadvertant (sic) and coincidental.
It is not the first time MMS Australia has been in the spotlight for selling its purported miracle cure.
Four Australians were hospitalised after drinking the solution in 2014, prompting the TGA to issue a public safety warning.
The fine comes weeks after US President Donald Trump was severely criticised for suggesting COVID-19 patients could be treated with disinfectant.
The president later tried ot walk back his comments, saying he was speaking sarcastically.