Exaggerated information and COVID-19 outbreak.

Dear Editor,

We read the article on “Coronavirus disease 2019: the harms of exaggerated information and nonevidence‐based measures” with a great interest. Ioannidis noted that “It is important to differentiate promptly the true epidemic from an epidemic of false claims and potentially harmful actions”. We agree that false information causes the problem in crisis management. We, medical scientist professionals working in academic institutes, would like to share ideas from our country, where the disease occurs in early orders in the timeline of global pandemic. Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia. The population is estimated 66 million. At present (31 March 2020), there are accumulated 1651 COVID‐19 patients with 10 death cases.

When there was emerging infection, several data were posted on social network and nationwide panic occurs. The control of incorrect data becomes a big issue during crisis management. Regarding the incorrect and exaggerated information, the problem is not only from general people but also medical personnel. Some medical personnel (medical scientists, general practitioners and specialists) claim for their great ability for management of disease such as they could detect the disease before the first report from China or they successfully found the antiviral drug for management of disease. Some medical scientists give exaggerated information on some local herbs and natural products for curative treatment of COVID‐19. The over claimed herbal regimens are usually common made from local plants such as Gymnanthemum extensum. Without proof, local people usually believe and follow. Some adverse reactions such as herb induced toxicity become new problems in clinical practices. A good example is acute hepatitis due to use of alternative unproven herbal regimen. The reason for start advising fake therapies is usually unethical aim for sale of products. To stop those unethical practices, Ministry of Public Health prosecutes many unethical practitioners. It is necessary to have a good method for controlling of fake news and over claimed data. Sufficient correct information provision to the local people is necessary.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.