A self-described “church” is promoting a dangerous miracle cure which claims to eradicate 95 per cent of illnesses including HIV and autism by making people drink bleach.
The quasi-religious organisation called Genesis II Church of Health and Healing was due to host an event in Leavenworth, Washington, on Saturday to push the “effective alternative healing”.
The group asked for payments of between $450 and $800 per person (£346 to £615) for couples attending the event in exchange for a year’s membership to the organisation and packages of bleach, known as “sacraments”.
The poisonous treatment, referred to as MMS and Miracle Mineral Supplement or Solution, contains chlorine dioxide – a powerful bleach used on textiles and to treat water.
It has been banned in a number of countries, including in the US where it cannot be used for human consumption.
In 2010 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a public warning about chlorine dioxide, which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and severe dehydration.
According to a Facebook page set up to invite people to the event, a self-appointed “bishop” named Mark Grenon was set to lead the seminar on Saturday.
In a video shared on the group's website, Mr Grenon claimed the “sacrament protocols” could eradicate 95 per cent of the world’s illnesses, including malaria, Ebola, cancer, diabetes, autism, HIV and multiple sclerosis.
Genesis II sells 4oz bottles of sodium chlorite as “sacramental cleansing water” for $15 (£11.54) on its website, which users are instructed to mix with citric acid to make chlorine dioxide.
