Does Chlorine Dioxide Solution (CDS) cure serious illnesses and can it be used to treat terminally ill patients? No, that's not true: Chlorine dioxide is not a cure or treatment for medical ailments, including serious diseases such as cancer. Claims suggesting that the ingestion of chlorine dioxide can cure these or other ailments are false. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises CDS should not be consumed, and warns that drinking high amounts of such product can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and symptoms of severe dehydration.
The claim appeared on a TikTok video (archived here) published on December 13, 2023. The caption, both in English and Thai, reads:
CLO2 (chlorine dioxide) is used in very serious diseases when traditional medicine opines that there is no solution anymore, based on the experience of a mother who cured her daughter diagnosed with cancer with a few months to live, the daughter recovered completely.
This is what the TikTok post looked like at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Wed Jan 31 00:21:02 2024 UTC)
In the caption, the TikToker also suggests how to use CDS in terminally ill patients:
Regarding the CDS protocol for terminally ill patients:
On the first day, take 2 ml of CDS in a glass of mineral water every hour, eight times a day. On the second day, take 3 ml every 2 hours, four times a day. On the third day, increase the dosage to 4 ml. On the fourth day, take 5 ml. On the fifth day, take 6 ml.
The substance has been widely marketed worldwide and in some regions, such as the United States, it is known as "Miracle Mineral Solution," a branded name for an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide. In 2020, Lead Stories fact-checked a claim that a "Miracle Mineral Solution spray treated COVID-19." The article explained that MMS consists of chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleach that is used both on textiles and in the industrial treatment of water.
On August 12, 2019, the FDA issued a warning to consumers that Miracle Mineral Solution is dangerous and has potentially life-threatening side effects, as follows:
Miracle Mineral Solution has not been approved by the FDA for any use, but these products continue to be promoted on social media as a remedy for treating autism, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and flu, among other conditions. However, the solution, when mixed, develops into a dangerous bleach which has caused serious and potentially life-threatening side effects.
Also, the Anti Fake News Center of Thailand warned on its Facebook page on March 15, 2022, (archived here) against claims that CDS drinks are safe and can be used to eliminate viruses. It said, translated from Thai to English by Lead Stories staff:
A significant amount of information has been published and shared regarding the purported ability of Chlorine Dioxide Solution (CDS) to eliminate all types of viruses when used in drinks. The Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Public Health has investigated and clarified that this information is false. Currently, there is no academic data supporting or proving the safety of Chlorine Dioxide Solution drinks or their claimed ability to eliminate all types of viruses.
It added:
The FDA permits the use of chlorine dioxide as a microbial disinfectant in fruits and vegetables, but only in industrial production. It must not be used in fruits and vegetables intended for direct consumption in their fresh state. The maximum amount allowed is not to exceed 3 milligrams per liter (calculated as chlorine dioxide). However, it's crucial to note that Chlorine Dioxide Solution has never been authorized for direct use in food.
