Health Professionals Petition WHO for Guidance: People Should Use Nasal Sprays to Combat COVID-19 Pandemic; Doctors Use in Treating Patients
25.1.2021 11:00:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release
Today, a consortium of health professionals petitioned the World Health Organization to issue Guidance calling on: all people to use nasal sprays to combat the COVID-19 pandemic; doctors to use them in treating COVID-19 patients; and, Member-States to implement public health policies promoting the use of nasal sprays to both prevent and treat COVID-19.
The petition asks the WHO to promulgate guidance that promotes the use of nasal sprays with data indicating that they are antiviral (blocks viral adhesion), virucidal (kills or deactivates the virus), anti-bacterial (block bacteria, in particular pneumonia bacteria) and bactericidal (kills bacteria, in particular pneumonia bacteria).
“We have data showing that certain nasal sprays don’t just wash away the virus. Certain sprays actually block, deactivate and/or kill the virus,” said Dr. Gustavo Ferrer, a respiratory illness expert who has conducted research on the use of nasal sprays to combat COVID-19, and is among the petitioners.
As a result, the petition calls specifically for WHO Guidance to focus on the use of nasal sprays that contain Xylitol and grapefruit seed extract. Recent studies have found that these natural components used together are antiviral (they block SARS-CoV-2 adhesion to the nasal membrane) and virucidal (they kill or deactivate the virus). One such spray, Xlear, is currently widely available in the US. Xlear has been used by millions of people worldwide, over twenty-plus years, without any adverse effects reported.
Additionally, a new, small clinical study found Xlear lessens the severity and shortens the duration of COVID-19 illnesses, and reduces the risk of further transmission, which is why the petition calls for guidance to doctors to use it as an adjunct to current treatments.
“Nasal sprays are proven safe, inexpensive, non-invasive, easy to use and you can get them off-the-shelf at your local store around the world. There is a growing body of data that sprays, in particular Xlear, can help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s pure commonsense,” Nathan Jones, CEO of Xlear said.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210125005242/en/
Contact information
Jeff Gulko
617.304.7339
jeff@thegulkogroup.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
HyperLight Demonstrates Low-Power 1.6T-DR8 TFLN-based Reference Transceiver Assembled by TFC16.3.2026 14:03:00 EET | Press release
HyperLight Corporation (“HyperLight”) today announced a major milestone in low-power optical networking with the demonstration of a 1.6T-DR8 optical transceiver leveraging HyperLight’s TFLN Chiplet™ Platform. The reference module was demonstrated with engineering and manufacturing support from Suzhou TFC Optical Communication Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 300394, or "TFC"). The reference design achieves 20W power consumption in a fully retimed 1.6T-DR8 module, representing approximately 20% lower module-level power compared to alternative technologies. The reduction is achieved through a simple drop-in transmitter implementation based on a single thin-film lithium niobate photonic integrated circuit (TFLN PIC). The TFLN transmitter enables the module to operate using a single continuous-wave (CW) laser, compared to the two to four lasers typically required in conventional implementations. Additional energy savings are achieved through the ability to operate directly from the native low-swing electr
GCE® Launches Gascontrol.com Website Showcasing Its Complete Gas Control Portfolio for Speciality, Medical, and Industrial Applications16.3.2026 14:00:00 EET | Press release
GCE®, a global market leader for gas control equipment, has launched gascontrol.com, a new website designed to better serve customers across its GCE Specialty, GCE Medical, and GCE Industrial product portfolios. The new site provides a streamlined, market-focused experience that makes it easier for users to explore GCE’s gas control solutions and identify the right products. A new Documentation Search Tool assists customers in easily finding documents such as instructions for use (IFUs), appendices, and certifications through an intuitive search interface. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260316410525/en/ GCE’s new website, gascontrol.com, provides a streamlined, market-focused experience across the GCE Specialty, GCE Medical, and GCE Industrial product portfolios. “The redesigned website reflects GCE’s role as a comprehensive, trusted supplier of gas control technologies that elevate industries and improve liv
SBC Medical Announces Opening of Brand Flagship "NEO Skin Clinic Ginza."16.3.2026 14:00:00 EET | Press release
SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated (Nasdaq: SBC) (“SBC Medical” or the “Company”), a Management Services Organization operating a wide range of franchise businesses across diverse medical fields, today announced that its specialized aesthetic brand, “NEO Skin Clinic,” will open its flagship location in Tokyo’s Ginza district, a globally recognized medical tourism hub and highly competitive district, on Saturday, March 28, 2026. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260312457783/en/ SBC Medical Announces Opening of Brand Flagship "NEO Skin Clinic Ginza." The Ginza flagship, located in a prime area near GINZA SIX, will feature dedicated VIP rooms for executive clientele and the growing number of international patients, strengthening the brand’s global presence. Leveraging its robust network of 283 affiliated clinics (as of December 2025) and extensive clinical data, SBC Medical continues to advance its multi-bran
Lebrikizumab Delivered Significant Skin Clearance and Improved Disease Severity in Children With Moderate-to-severe Atopic Dermatitis16.3.2026 12:53:00 EET | Press release
Almirall, S.A. (ALM), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on medical dermatology, today announced positive, top-line results from the pivotal Phase 3 ADorable-1 trial evaluating efficacy and safety of lebrikizumab for children and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis aged 6 months to <18 years. Lebrikizumab met both co-primary and key secondary endpoints, delivering near-complete skin clearance, reduced disease severity, itch relief and improved quality of life at Week 16. Skin conditions can have a significant impact on people’s lives, both physically and emotionally3. Atopic dermatitis is more prevalent in childhood than adulthood and typically begins early in life4, with most cases appearing by the first year of life (60%) or before 5 years of age (85%)5. The emotional impact of atopic dermatitis can disrupt crucial formative years, with disease burden increasing alongside severity and often leading to sleep disruption, school absenteeism, and difficulties in
Experian Marks a Breakthrough in Consumer AI with the Next Evolution of Its Virtual Assistant16.3.2026 12:00:00 EET | Press release
Experian today unveiled the next evolution of the Experian Virtual Assistant, EVA™, a significant advancement in its Consumer First AI strategy that expands personalized, conversational financial guidance to millions of consumers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260316538160/en/ Experian today unveiled the next evolution of the Experian Virtual Assistant, EVA™. “This next generation of EVA reflects the direction of our consumer AI strategy,” said Debbie Hsu, Executive Vice President of Product, Experian Consumer Services. “We are bringing together conversational AI, personalization, and our trusted data foundation to deliver guidance that is intuitive, relevant, and actionable. Our focus is on helping consumers make smarter financial decisions in ways that feel simple and empowering.” Built to scale intelligent financial guidance through a more adaptive experience, the enhanced EVA expands beyond credit insigh
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom