A naturopathy company, co-founded by an Abbotsford real-estate agent, has been sending out misleading flyers claiming their products can treat and prevent COVID-19.
Several people have posted pictures of these advertisements to social media, which claim humic and fulvic acids can, “reduce virus impact and build your immune system.”
The flyers, sent out by a company called NRP Organics, were reportedly found in mailboxes in Richmond earlier this week. James Rutherford, a local real-estate agent is named as the co-founder on NRP Organics’ website. He is also registered as the owner of the website’s domain, along with another local real-estate agent, Walter Browne, who works at the same firm.
@cbcmarketplace @TheRichmondNews @bcrea @GlobalBC Local bad actors using COVID for marketing - ABBOTSFORD REALTORShttps://t.co/IpkOLbyn24 pic.twitter.com/AQlBmFy95E
— Bill (@Bill74821008) March 24, 2020
The website claims their product can treat many illnesses, by restoring “gut function in addition to its regular immune boosting properties. Humic/Fulvic have been studied and found to be effective with many types of viruses.”
The “expert” testimonials the website uses to back these claims come from dubious medical sources.
In small print at the bottom of NRP Organics’ website, it states the treatments have, “not been evaluated by the Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,” and are, “not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
The flyers sent out to people’s mailboxes do not have this information listed.
NRP Organics’ website was taken down yesterday after several other news outlets reported on the flyers.
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