Web Of ‘Wellness’ Doctors Promote Injections Of Unproven Coronavirus Treatment

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01 Окт 2020, 12:54

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An NPR investigation has identified more than 30 medical practices in more than a dozen states promoting unproven claims that the drug thymosin alpha-1, which is administered via injection, can prevent or treat COVID-19.

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Photo illustration by Carol Smiljan/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Thymosin alpha-1 is not FDA approved for treating any condition. Yet the company VitaLifeMD, headed by Dr. Dominique Fradin-Read, began promoting injections of the drug to patients at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The U.S. Food And Drug Administration has warned that compounding pharmacies, while an important part of the health care system, can present greater serious risks to American consumers.

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Dr. Dominique Fradin-Read’s medical practice, VitaLifeMD, posted this image on social media in April, while promoting injections of thymosin alpha-1 as «one of the best ways to prevent and fight COVID-19.» Fradin-Read has said she obtained the drug from Tailor Made Compounding, which has faced scrutiny from federal regulators.

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The Federal Trade Commission has sent three warning letters to companies marketing Thymosin Alpha-1 as a treatment for COVID-19. The agency says such claims are «unlawful,» because they are not backed by reliable scientific evidence.

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Alex Brandon/AP

Who’s enforcing the law?

Experts said misleading claims about drugs like thymosin alpha-1 proliferate not just because there’s a motive to make a profit, but also because the consequences for breaking the law are often low. The vast majority of online posts marketing thymosin alpha-1 as a COVID-19 treatment have remained up for months.

The two agencies leading efforts to crack down on misleading health claims are the FDA and FTC.

«Given the limited resources of both the FDA and the FTC, they’ve done about the best they can,» said Bonnie Patten, executive director of the nonprofit watchdog Truth in Advertising. «But it’s definitely not enough to stop the multitude of scams and schemes that are out there.»

The FDA did not answer questions for this story, stating only, «There are no FDA-approved drugs to prevent, treat or mitigate COVID-19.»

The FTC has issued more than 300 warning letters related to a wide array of alleged Coronavirus scams, three of which dealt with thymosin alpha-1. In a statement, Rich Cleland, Assistant Director for the FTC’s Division of Advertising Practices, said, «The scope and magnitude of the FTC’s efforts to stop the marketing of fraudulent COVID-19 treatments is unprecedented.»

Patten points out that warning letters, though a «slap on the wrist,» are often effective — especially if a company mistakenly broke the law. But she said they do little to deter companies that intentionally flout the rules. The FTC can also take companies and individuals to court. But given its limited resources, the agency typically only takes action against the most egregious violations.

Turner said the lack of enforcement action can sometimes provide a kind of tacit approval of potentially illegal behavior.

«It doesn’t just allow these businesses to continue to operate and make unsubstantiated marketing claims,» Turner said, «I think it’s also a kind of a green light to the marketplace.»

Turner, Patten and other experts are advocating for additional resources for the FTC and FDA to enforce existing laws, and use lawsuits or even criminal investigations to stop companies from misleading consumers.

Otherwise, Patten said, for some companies, «false marketing pays and it’s worth the risk.»

Have you been prescribed thymosin alpha-1? We’d like to hear from you. You can reach Tom Dreisbach at tdreisbach@npr.org

NPR’s Huo Jingnan and Cheryl Thompson contributed to this story.