US issues high-strength hydrogen peroxide warning

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Drinking or injecting high-strength hydrogen peroxide products sold online to treat serious diseases such as AIDS can be extremely harmful, U.S. health officials said on Thursday.

The "35 percent food grade hydrogen peroxide" products are highly corrosive and ingesting them could cause stomach irritation and ulcers, the Food and Drug Administration said.

Injecting the products intravenously could lead to blood vessel inflammation, bubbles in blood vessels and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions, the agency added.

The FDA said it had not approved 35 percent hydrogen peroxide for any use. The agency sent warnings to two Texas-based firms, DFWX and Frad 35 Inc., in which the agency said the firms were illegally selling 35 percent hydrogen peroxide products to treat AIDS, cancer, emphysema and other serious diseases.



"No one has presented any evidence that hydrogen peroxide taken internally has any medical value. In fact, consuming hydrogen peroxide in the manner touted by these Web sites could lead to tragic results," Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

Donald Worden, owner of Frad 35 Inc., said he would continue selling his 35 percent hydrogen peroxide product. He said his Web site provided links to information about potential medical uses but that he was not promoting it for that purpose.

"There are references to what doctors and other publications have done. I make reference to that only to give...people information that they want," Worden said in an interview.

He said the military, universities and independent laboratories were among his clients. He added that his product was "technical grade," which his Web site said could be used for treating waste water.

The strength of hydrogen peroxide solutions sold over-the-counter for disinfecting wounds is 3 percent.

Officials at DFWX were not immediately available for comment.

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