Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Self-declared ‘church’ promotes ‘miracle cure’ which claims to eradicate HIV and autism by drinking bleach

MMS or Miracle Mineral Supplement or Solution contains chlorine dioxide and is banned in several countries

Chiara Giordano
Saturday 20 April 2019 17:23 BST
Comments
Products, including 'MMS', available to buy on the Genesis II Church website.
Products, including 'MMS', available to buy on the Genesis II Church website. (g2sacraments.org)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

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.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in