Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
DOJ Cracks Down On Treatment Scams: 'It's A Perfect Ecosystem For A Fraudster To Operate In'
NPR: As Fraudsters Exploit Pandemic Fears, Justice Department Looks To Crack Down
The coronavirus pandemic has brought out the good side of many Americans, but certainly not all Americans. Officials say that fraud related to COVID-19 — like hoarding equipment, price gouging and hawking fake treatments — are spreading as the country wrestles with the outbreak. "It's a perfect ecosystem for somebody like a fraudster to operate in," said Craig Carpenito, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey and the head of the Justice Department's COVID-19 price gouging and hoarding task force. (Lucas, 4/24)
ABC News: DOJ Moves To Shutdown Sham Coronavirus Therapies Amid 'Hundreds' Of Online Scams
The Justice Department is raising an alarm over what it says are a growing number of scammers promoting fraudulent COVID-19 treatments, with federal prosecutors in Texas moving to stop an "ozone therapy" company from allegedly promoting a novel coronavirus cure. According to a Wednesday court filing, the group Purity Health and Wellness Centers used posts on its Instagram page as far back as January to model its ozone therapies, an alternative treatment that purports to increase the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, as an effective way to prevent contracting COVID-19. (Mallin, 4/23)
Politico: DHS Warns Of Increase In Violent Extremism Amid Coronavirus Lockdowns
Domestic terrorists and violent extremists are mobilizing in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and the threat could get more severe “until the virus is contained and the normal routine of U.S. societal life resumes,” according to a Department of Homeland Security intelligence note sent to law enforcement officials around the country. The memo, dated April 23 and obtained by POLITICO, cites recent arrests of individuals who have threatened government facilities and elected officials over the health restrictions that have been imposed to stop the spread of Covid-19. (Bertrand, 4/23)
Politico: Officials Probe The Threat Of A Coronavirus Bioweapon
The Pentagon and the intelligence community are more forcefully investigating the possibility that adversaries could use the novel coronavirus as a bioweapon, according to defense and intelligence officials, in a shift that reflects the national security apparatus’ evolving understanding of the virus and its risks. Officials emphasized that the change does not mean they believe the virus was purposefully created to be weaponized—the intelligence community is still investigating the virus’ potential origins, but there is currently no hard intelligence or scientific evidence to support the theory that it spread from a lab in China, people briefed on the matter said. (Bertrand, Lippman and Seligman, 4/23)
