Long Covid Patients At Risk From Costly Private 'Cures'

People with long Covid are being offered unproven, bizarre and, in some instances, “dangerous" treatments by private clinics, often at a cost of hundreds of pounds - as officials warn that the industry is at risk of turning into the "Wild West" without proper regulation.

- Samuel Lovett

The Independent has uncovered a wide range of therapies being touted to "desperate" patients, few of which have been approved for use in the NHS - or rigorously tested - for alleviating persistent coronavirus symptoms. These include probiotic implants inserted into the stomach, clot-busting drugs which carry the risk of heavy bleeding and haemorrhaging, IV infusions, and "bioresonance" - a holistic therapy that claims to remove lingering viral matter from the body via electromagnetic waves.

Such treatments are offered after expensive consultations with private practitioners. Patients are typically being charged between £200 and £600 for these sessions. The NHS has warned that "misinformation around cures or quick fixes for long Covid is putting people at risk", while the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it was aware of a rise in clinics claiming to treat the condition without providing evidence.

Labour's Andrew Gwynne, a shadow minister for public health, called upon ministers to implement a "proper system" that provides "accessible, timely and evidence-based care". He urged ministers to take action against a "Wild West industry" that "prices people out of care and preys on people living with Long Covid".

Scientists believe some private clinics are exploiting patients' desperation, and have warned against the dangers of unproven treatments. "Various off-licence drugs are being supplied without any consideration of longer-term risks or interactions with other drugs," said Dr Elaine Maxwell, a trustee of Long Covid Support.

Prof Ami Banerjee, a consultant cardiologist at University College London, said patients were desperate, frustrated and "willing to try anything, which makes them vulnerable".