Listerine Can’t Kill COVID-19 Despite Republican Senator Recommending Mouthwash To Fight Virus

Listerine cannot kill COVID-19 despite recent claims from Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc.

Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Listerine, released a statement after the longtime senator had a Wednesday appearance on a Wisconsin tele-town hall, where he falsely stated that mouthwash was a “proven” treatment for the coronavirus.

Johnson & Johnson later told Vice News that Listerine “is not intended to prevent or treat COVID-19 and should be used only as directed on the product label.”

“We are aware of several ongoing, independent clinical trials where Listerine is being assessed in patients with COVID-19.”

The Johnson & Johnson statement continued: “However, the current available data is not sufficient to support a conclusion that the use of LISTERINE mouthwash is helpful against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

“We continue to be active participants in the scientific exchange on this and any topic related to our products.”

The company’s statement comes after an audio recording of Johnson was released, which consisted of him sharing misleading information about COVID-19 treatment.

“Standard gargle, mouthwash, has been proven to kill the coronavirus,” Johnson said in the recording. “If you get it, you may reduce viral replication. Why not try all these things?”

Johnson added, “It just boggles my mind that the NIH continues to tell people, ‘Do nothing, you know, maybe take Tylenol.’”

Following a wave of criticism over his remarks, Johnson defend his remarks and tweeted a study shared by the National Institutes of Health. However, the piece was about antiviral mouthwash rather than “standard gargle.”