From false protocols to fake treatments to deal with coronavirus there is a lot of misinformation flooding the Internet. The recent addition to the list is a fake prescription with a doctor’s forged signature which is being circulated online, mainly through WhatsApp.
The fake image shows a detailed prescription written on the notepad of Dr Raj Kamal Agarwal, a Senior Consultant, who works in the Department of Anaesthesiology at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The fake prescription starts with the line “To whom it may concern.” In the following lines, it says that the prescription is written “as per ICMR guideline” and lists “preventative medication” with the names of some medicines, including Hydroxychloroquine.
“As per ICRM guideline, the contacts of COVID +ve cases should be put on HOME ISOLATION even with mild symptoms. It is advised that everybody takes these preventative medication apart from the following SOCIAL DISTANCING, HAND HYGIENE, AND WEARING MASKS,” reads a part of the false claim.
Take a look at the full image here:
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital took to Twitter to dismiss the prescription as fake. “It has been brought to our notice that someone has circulated a fake image and forged the doctor’s signature,” they tweeted. “#SGRHIndia strongly dissociates itself from such messages,” they added.
{{/usCountry}}Sir Ganga Ram Hospital took to Twitter to dismiss the prescription as fake. “It has been brought to our notice that someone has circulated a fake image and forged the doctor’s signature,” they tweeted. “#SGRHIndia strongly dissociates itself from such messages,” they added.
{{/usCountry}}Over a telephonic conversation with Hindustan Times, Dr Agarwal also denied writing any such prescription and debunked it as fake. He also added that no one should pay any heed to or use the medicines listed in the prescription and should consult a doctor in case they feel unwell.