Plague researcher’s death in Russia fuels health misinformation online
News of the death of a laboratory worker involved in plague research in Siberia, Russia, has spread internationally, reaching the United States and Canada, where some social media users are already promoting unverified remedies, AFP reported on Friday.
Russian authorities attributed the death to pneumonia, but the United States, the European Union and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called on Moscow to provide greater transparency, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.
Meanwhile, social media users in the US and Canada have been encouraging people to purchase a $300 emergency medical kit marketed as a way to prepare for a potential health crisis.
“Don’t wait until everyone is scrambling. Prepare before you need it,” reads the description of a Facebook video that has attracted more than 161,000 views.
The company selling the kit is run by an American cardiologist who has previously promoted conspiracy theories, particularly concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. The company did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.
Rogan O’Handley, known online as DC Draino, promoted the kit to his 2.9 million social media followers, saying it contains doxycycline.
The antibiotic is among the medications used to treat plague in affected countries and help control outbreaks.
However, infectious disease specialist Isaac Bogoch emphasized that plague is a treatable infection and that the possible case in Russia does not represent the kind of threat likely to trigger a pandemic.
“We know how to treat it,” Bogoch said.
Experts also warned against taking antibiotics without confirmed exposure or medical justification.
Paul Keim, a researcher specializing in plague, explained that unnecessary antibiotic use can disrupt the intestinal microbiome and contribute to antibiotic resistance.
“You alter your gut microbiome and risk creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria that will prevent medication from working the next time you really need it,” Keim said.
He also noted that the kits contain medications that can be difficult to obtain, including ivermectin, which is used to treat certain parasitic infections rather than bacterial diseases such as plague.
Despite this, ivermectin continues to be promoted in some misinformation circles, partly because health authorities rejected its use as a COVID-19 treatment following unsuccessful clinical trials.
The medication had also previously been promoted as a supposed remedy for hantavirus during an outbreak aboard a cruise ship earlier this year.
Timothy Caulfield, an expert on misinformation, warned that health emergencies frequently create opportunities for individuals and companies to market products without reliable scientific evidence.
“As soon as a crisis emerges, especially in the medical field, scammers appear,” Caulfield said, adding that they exploit fear and uncertainty to sell unverified products.
Photo: Chat GPT
