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Miracle cures, wonder drugs, and unproven treatments for COVID-19: A global database

Author

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  • Lasco, Gideon
  • Loreche, Arianna Maever
  • Aguilar, Michelle Ann D.
  • Yu, Vincen Gregory

Abstract

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, various substances were promoted and used as preventive measures, cures, and treatments for COVID-19, from repurposed drugs to traditional medicines and herbal remedies. Scholars have described the politicized promotion of these substances as ‘pharmaceutical messianism’. In this article we show the broad range of these substances, drawing from a wide range of data sources including the use of emergent and generative AI.

Suggested Citation

  • Lasco, Gideon & Loreche, Arianna Maever & Aguilar, Michelle Ann D. & Yu, Vincen Gregory, 2026. "Miracle cures, wonder drugs, and unproven treatments for COVID-19: A global database," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 391(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:391:y:2026:i:c:s0277953625012328
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118901
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lasco, Gideon & Yu, Vincen Gregory, 2022. "Pharmaceutical messianism and the COVID-19 pandemic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    2. Meghan A. Cook & Nicholas Brooke, 2021. "Event-Based Surveillance of Poisonings and Potentially Hazardous Exposures over 12 Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-32, October.
    3. Umair Majid & Aghna Wasim & Judy Truong & Simran Bakshi, 2021. "Public trust in governments, health care providers, and the media during pandemics: A systematic review," Journal of Trust Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 119-141, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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