The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has questioned the promotion of “Anti-virus Activewear” by Lorna Jane.
As Wednesday night, the women’s active wear company has been “exclusive technology” on its website which purportedly keeps wearers “protected against viruses and germs”.
The website states that any bacteria that comes in contact with the fabric “is terminated when it comes in touch with the LJ Shield particles.”
The company claims that when the “L J Shield” product is “sprayed onto the fabric” as a “light weight mist” it permanently adheres to the surface of the material “to act as a shield of protection for you.”
The website also notes that L J Shield “breaks through the membrane shell of any toxic diseases” including “bacteria or germs that come into contact with it, not only killing that microbe but preventing it from multiplying into anymore.”
RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon warned consumers to be wary.
“Active wear is great for the gym but it can’t protect you against viruses or bacteria. I suspect Lorna Jane are cynically trying to exploit fears concerning the COVID-19 pandemic to sell clothes.
“If you spray their product onto any fabric and expect that it will act as a ‘shield of protection’ for you by breaking through the ‘membrane shell of any toxic diseases’ I have some bad news for you – this will not happen. The only thing that will be ‘terminated’ by the ‘shield particles’ is the money in your bank account.”
Dr Nespolon said that during the COVID-19 pandemic it was vital to heed the advice of health experts.
“The real problem with marketing products like this is that it can lull people into a false sense of security and make them less likely to wash their hands regularly, socially distance or wear a mask where distancing is impractical.
“That is why we have very strict laws concerning therapeutic claims. It is timely to remind this company that earlier this year former celebrity chef and prominent anti-vaxxer Pete Evans was fined $25,000 by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for marketing a $15,000 ‘light frequency machine’ featuring recipes that could supposedly treat ‘the Wuhan coronavirus’.
“The only precautions shown to protect against the COVID-19 virus include regularly washing your hands, keeping them away from your nose and mouth, socially distancing and wearing a mask where distancing is impractical. Please listen to the medical experts, not clothing companies.”
Earlier this year the RACGP launched a nation-wide campaign – which urged all patients to take care of their health and heed expert media advice.
~ENDS
RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon is available for comment.
