Evaluating interest in off-label use of disinfectants for COVID-19

Abstract

In February, 2020, during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made recommendations to clean and disinfect frequently-handled objects, which triggered nationwide panic buying of disinfectant products such as Clorox and Lysol. Numerous regulatory agencies and public health organisations (eg, CDC, US Food and Drug Administration, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the American Association of Poison Control Centers [AAPCC]) have repeatedly advised against ingestion and other off-label use of disinfectants and cleaning products.