open access

Vol 7, No 3 (2022)
Review paper
Published online: 2022-07-01
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COVID-19: therapeutic misinformation and intoxications

Mohammad Amrollahi-Sharifabadi1, Mohammad Kazem Koohi2, Phelipe Magalhães Duarte3, Sina Salajegheh Tazerji45
·
Disaster Emerg Med J 2022;7(3):198-202.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
  2. Department of Comparative Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
  3. Postgraduate Program in Animal Bioscience, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
  4. Young Researchers and Elites Club, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
  5. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

open access

Vol 7, No 3 (2022)
REVIEW ARTICLES
Published online: 2022-07-01

Abstract

The new coronavirus pandemic alarmed the world. Misinformation regarding prevention and treatment for safeguarding against this pandemic seemed to be life-threatening along with the spreading pandemic. Public health authorities in the world tried to battle this virtual virus by offering true information and correcting misinformation. However, the public misinformation through social media caused toxicological consequences in some parts of the world which provoked awareness, response, and concern of the public health authorities including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the toxicology community. This study analysed the published literature on therapeutic disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and its toxicological effects. The electronic databases searched were Scopus, MEDLINE, Scielo. The used keywords were: “COVID-19”, “misinformation”, “social media”, “public health”, “drug toxicity”, and “education”. Finding new strategies for the prevention and treatment of the coronavirus again stresses the role of public education about true drug information. Hundreds of chemicals were/are being tested to be prophylactic medications or healing drugs for the coronavirus. Therefore, spreading accurate information and editing misinformation can be crucial. In summary, this commentary is going to bring attention to misinformation regarding prevention and treatment for safeguarding against the COVID-19 pandemic and its toxicological consequences and the need for public education on the appropriate use of therapies.

Abstract

The new coronavirus pandemic alarmed the world. Misinformation regarding prevention and treatment for safeguarding against this pandemic seemed to be life-threatening along with the spreading pandemic. Public health authorities in the world tried to battle this virtual virus by offering true information and correcting misinformation. However, the public misinformation through social media caused toxicological consequences in some parts of the world which provoked awareness, response, and concern of the public health authorities including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the toxicology community. This study analysed the published literature on therapeutic disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and its toxicological effects. The electronic databases searched were Scopus, MEDLINE, Scielo. The used keywords were: “COVID-19”, “misinformation”, “social media”, “public health”, “drug toxicity”, and “education”. Finding new strategies for the prevention and treatment of the coronavirus again stresses the role of public education about true drug information. Hundreds of chemicals were/are being tested to be prophylactic medications or healing drugs for the coronavirus. Therefore, spreading accurate information and editing misinformation can be crucial. In summary, this commentary is going to bring attention to misinformation regarding prevention and treatment for safeguarding against the COVID-19 pandemic and its toxicological consequences and the need for public education on the appropriate use of therapies.

Get Citation

Keywords

COVID-19; misinformation; social media; public health; drug toxicity; education

About this article
Title

COVID-19: therapeutic misinformation and intoxications

Journal

Disaster and Emergency Medicine Journal

Issue

Vol 7, No 3 (2022)

Article type

Review paper

Pages

198-202

Published online

2022-07-01

Page views

7093

Article views/downloads

361

DOI

10.5603/DEMJ.a2022.0026

Bibliographic record

Disaster Emerg Med J 2022;7(3):198-202.

Keywords

COVID-19
misinformation
social media
public health
drug toxicity
education

Authors

Mohammad Amrollahi-Sharifabadi
Mohammad Kazem Koohi
Phelipe Magalhães Duarte
Sina Salajegheh Tazerji

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