Holistic health center claimed toxic gas could kill coronavirus, Texas prosecutors say
Purity Health and Wellness Centers in Dallas have referred to ozone therapy — a treatment the holistic health center previously touted as a cure for the coronavirus — as “misunderstood.”
It’s actually a toxic gas, according to federal court documents.
A judge in Texas issued a permanent injunction against Purity Health on Friday barring the center from promoting ozone therapy as a legitimate treatment for COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.
“This defendant preyed on public fear, peddling bogus treatments that had absolutely no effect against COVID-19,” U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox said in the release. “As we’ve said in past COVID-19 civil cases: the Department of Justice will not permit anyone to exploit a pandemic for personal gain.”
According to a federal complaint filed Wednesday, an FBI agent found at least three posts on Purity Health’s Instagram page claiming ozone therapy could cure or prevent the coronavirus.
“The CORONAVIRUS is here in the USA. The only prevention is ozone. #coronavirus #ozonetherapy,” one post reportedly read.
The posts have since been deleted.
Prosecutors referred to the “treatment” as a wire fraud scheme in court documents.
“There is currently no known effective medical cure for COVID-19,” the complaint states. “Exposing humans to ozone, which is generally a toxic gas and respiratory irritant, is not known to prevent or treat COVID-19.”
According to the Justice Department, owner Jean Juanita Allen claimed ozone therapy increases oxygen in the blood — “making it impossible for viruses to manifest” — and said it is 95% effective in treating the coronavirus, even for those already infected.
She told a caller posing as a customer that ozone “could be dangerous” but Purity Health’s treatment “was safe even for children, would sanitize anything, and would eradicate viral or bacterial infections,” the Justice Department said.
On its website, Purity Health says the “Ozone Steam Sauna” is a “steam cabinet” with ozone gas filtered in.
The center describes it as “one of the most misunderstood therapies available.”
“Some ozone critics point out that people have died after receiving treatments from unlicensed practitioners,” the website states. “This is true of any therapy when used improperly.”
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ozone “is a toxic gas with no known useful medical application.”
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Holistic health center claimed toxic gas could kill coronavirus, Texas prosecutors say."
