Corona masks with silver fibers that protect against illness? According to a court ruling, a manufacturer is no longer allowed to advertise with it.
On behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Association for Consumer Information (VKI) had brought a lawsuit against the protective mask manufacturer Silvercare due to misleading business practices and was ruled by the Linz Regional Court: Silvercare GmbH is not allowed to advertise the masks it sells in such a way that the impression is created that they do Protect carriers against infection with the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), although the scientific evidence for the protection of the carrier cannot be regarded as solid. The judgment is final.
On its website, Silvercare offers MNS masks made of “super fiber with integrated silver” which – as the product description suggests – are intended to protect not only third parties but also the wearer of the mask against infection with the coronavirus because of the silver content it contains. Price for two pieces: 24 euros. Information on the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its dangerousness can be found in numerous places on the website.
The LG Linz approved the VKI and judged the website to be misleading: Since it has not been scientifically proven that and to what extent a (simple) MNS mask protects the wearer against infection with SARS-CoV-2 and a corresponding proof of effectiveness for the masks from If there is no silvercare or the nanosilver it contains, such health-related claims are not permitted.
Silvercare advertised the masks, among other things, by stating that the “antibacterial” effect of the silver was confirmed by “reports from renowned, Austrian and international institutes”. Apart from the fact that the antiviral effect of the fibers would be decisive for protection against infection with COVID-19, most of the “reports” cited do not provide any information about the possible antibacterial effect of MNS masks made of fibers with silver content.
“The judgment confirms that particularly high standards apply to advertising with health-related information and that corona protective equipment may only be advertised with scientifically proven effects,” says Barbara Bauer, the responsible lawyer at the VKI. “Times like this should not be used as an opportunity for profiteering.” At the moment, such claims can still be found on the relevant website.
