Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson sent a cease and desist letter Thursday to a Seattle-based antibody company claiming to have developed a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, Ferguson’s office announced Tuesday.
Though dozens of companies around the world are racing to develop a vaccine for the deadly virus, projections indicate it will be at least another year before one is properly tested and approved for use in humans.
“If something seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Ferguson said in a news release. “Scammers take advantage of fear and uncertainty to make you go against your better judgment.”
The company named in the letter, North Coast Biologics, said in a March 11 Facebook post it was making a COVID-19 vaccine “available to those who are either at risk or for anyone who simply needs reassurance.” The post said its alleged vaccine involved receiving two shots and encouraged interested parties to message the company directly to “create a spot in the queue.”
In its news release, Ferguson’s office said the founder of the company, Johnny T. Stine, also claimed in a post on his own Facebook page that the alleged vaccine made him immune to the virus. In the post, Stine offered to sell and administer it directly to consumers for an initial charge of $400 per person.
The attorney general’s office told Newsweek it was unaware of any instances in which Stine or North Coast Biologics had successfully sold the alleged vaccine.
The company and Stine could face a lawsuit under Washington’s Consumer Protection Act if more inaccurate claims are made about the alleged vaccine and could also face up to $2,000 in civil penalties for each new violation, Ferguson’s office said.
North Coast Biologics did not appear to be selling a novel coronavirus vaccine through its official website Tuesday morning. The company did not respond to Newsweek‘s request for comment in time for publication.
Ferguson has been active in pursuing companies on legal grounds since the pandemic hit Washington in February, filing lawsuits against transportation and property management companies and encouraging residents to report suspected price gouging. Washington was the first to report a coronavirus-related death on February 29, at which time Governor Jay Inslee became the first state leader to issue a state of emergency. By Sunday, 13,686 cases and 765 deaths had been confirmed statewide.
“In this time of uncertainty, consumers should not have to worry about being misled about the health benefits of products that have not been evaluated or established as effective to treat or prevent the virus,” Ferguson said in the cease and desist letter. “My office will hold those who deceive the public with unproven or false statements regarding the effectiveness of COVID19 treatments or preventative measures accountable during this emergency.”
