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Coronavirus

Surgeon General urges Americans to consult doctor before taking or administering 'any treatment'

By Madeline Farber Fox News
Published
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams speaks during a briefing on coronavirus in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Washington, as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams speaks during a briefing on coronavirus in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Washington, as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The U.S. Surgeon General on Friday reminded Americans to always consult with a health care provider before “administering any treatment [or] medication to yourself or a loved one.” The recommendation came after President Trump during a White House coronavirus task force briefing Thursday appeared to suggest that light and disinfectants might have the potential to treat the coronavirus.

“A reminder to all Americans- PLEASE always talk to your health provider first before administering any treatment/ medication to yourself or a loved one,” reads the message on Twitter. “Your safety is paramount, and doctors and nurses [have] years of training to recommend what’s safe and effective.”

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Trump’s comments later prompted a statement from Reckitt Benckiser Group, the makers of Lysol, warning against improper use of disinfectant products.

"As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route)," the company said. "As with all products, our disinfectant and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines. Please read the label and safety information."

Ingesting disinfects such as Lysol or bleach is extremely dangerous and could possibly lead to death, according to experts.

The news comes after poison control centers across the U.S. have reported an increase by 20 percent in calls being made regarding exposure to cleaners and disinfectants amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did note that the data does not show a “definite link” between exposures and COVID-19 cleaning efforts, the agency said the number of calls did spike at the beginning of March 2020, which is when many local health agencies began issuing advisories.

“Although a causal association cannot be demonstrated, the timing of these reported exposures correspond to increased media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of consumer shortages of cleaning and disinfectant products, and the beginning of some local and state stay-at-home orders.”

Fox News' Tyler Olson and Alexandria Hein contributed to this report.