DALLAS — A Far North Dallas spa has agreed to stop claiming that "ozone therapy" can cure or treat COVID-19, according to federal court records.
Jean Juanita Allen agreed to a permanent injunction prohibiting her from advertising the "toxic gas" treatment as a way to stop the coronavirus. She also agreed to delete previous social media posts that made the claims.
Allen operates Purity Health, which offers services to "boost your immune system," according to its website.
Federal authorities filed a complaint against the business Wednesday, accusing the spa of a "fraudulent scheme."
“This defendant preyed on public fear, peddling bogus treatments that had absolutely no effect against COVID-19,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox in a written statement.
Court records show Purity Health posted on Instagram that ozone therapy could stop the coronavirus.
“The CORONA VIRUS is here in the USA. The only prevention is ozone. #coronavirus #ozonetherapy," one post said, according to court records.
The Food and Drug Administration says ozone has "no known useful medical application" and inhalation of the toxic gas can cause irritation to the lungs.
One of the symptoms of the novel coronavirus is difficulty breathing.
In another social media post, Purity Health said that "ozone eradicates lethal viruses and bacteria.”
Those posts have either been edited or deleted since Allen agreed to the permanent injunction.
Federal authorities found that the spa has remained open, despite state and local orders prohibiting non-essential businesses.
On a phone call earlier this month, a spa employee told a prospective customer that the use of ozone would cure COVID-19. The spa employee "acknowledged that FDA did not approve of their statements about curing COVID-19...and that ozone treatments performed improperly could be fatal to a patient."
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