Open letter from Dr. Matthias Rath to the Academy of Science of South Africa

Dear Prof Jansen

I am sending you this open letter to present to you the spectacular findings of micronutrient research in the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic, and to invite you to join in intensive collaboration in this area.

The core team of researchers and doctors in our Research Institute, as well as I myself, have had the privilege of working with the two-time Nobel prize-winner Dr. Linus Pauling1. As you will be aware, Dr. Pauling was one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century. His areas of work included such fundamental questions as the principles of the chemical bonding, structure and function of antibodies and the key principles of immunology, the basic structures of proteins and the discovery of the first genetic disease, sickle cell anemia. In his later years, Dr. Pauling’s interests also encompassed the role of micronutrients in the battle against viral diseases, including influenza und the Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV).

Over the past two decades, our team of researchers have continued this fundamental research in the area of micronutrient research. Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, investigating the significance of micronutrients in the battle against this pandemic has been a focus of our work. The ground-breaking results of this research work make a completely new approach to the successful control of this pandemic possible.

The rapid mutation of this virus represents a new challenge for all mankind. Evidence of the Coronavirus mutation2 which appeared in the UK at the end of 2020 alone was found in over 50 countries within a few weeks. Over the next few months and years, according to all the laws of biology and virology, further mutations of the Coronavirus will occur in an increasing number of countries. In this situation scientists – including your Academy in particular – will bear a special responsibility. Scientists throughout the world are called upon to find solutions to prevent new waves of Coronavirus pandemics occurring due to constantly new virus mutations – and therefore to pave the way for ending this pandemic.

Although some manufacturers of the current vaccines assert that their products would also work against one or more new mutations, there is to date no robust clinical evidence for this. Furthermore, it is virtually certain that future mutations will evade the protection conferred by vaccination with the preparations currently available.

With every new mutation of the Coronavirus, the whole population of the world will be exposed again to the risk of going through a human, economic and social crisis as we have been experiencing since the COVID-19 pandemic. This prospect is unacceptable.

In view of the rapid mutation of the Coronavirus and its potentially devastating consequences, combatting the pandemic by relying on vaccines alone can no longer be justified. Instead of focusing scientific research on the development of an increasing number of new vaccines against constantly arising new Coronavirus mutations, the focus of international scientific research must be on protecting human cells against being infected by Coronaviruses – regardless of how many Coronavirus mutations arise in future.

The most promising – and possibly only – way to achieve this goal lies in the following approach: all Coronavirus variants known to date (SARS-CoV 2003, HCoV NL63 2003, HCoV HKU1 2004, MERS-CoV 2013 and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019) use the same “gateway” for infecting the human body, a receptor ACE2 located on the surface of the cell. The first goal of our research work was therefore to investigate the production (expression) of these receptors in human cells in order to minimize the risk of infection with Coronaviruses.

Our research results have shown that a particular combination of micronutrients is able to lower production of these viral gateways (ACE2 receptors) both in human epithelial lung cells and in endothelial cells in human

blood vessel walls by over 90%. Furthermore, these micronutrients were able to inhibit both the binding of the virus to the cell surface and also the enzymes required for reproduction of the virus inside the cell.

The way in which the micronutrients investigated work on the infectivity of the Coronavirus can be summarized as follows:

  1. Significant inhibition of the binding of Coronavirus surface proteins (Spikes) to the ACE2 receptors on the surface of human
  2. Significant inhibition of the production of ACE2 receptors by human cells, reducing the binding of coronaviruses to these cells – and therefore their means of infection.
  1. Significant inhibition of all key proteins (enzymes) involved in the absorption and reproduction of coronaviruses in human
  2. A significant increase in the general functioning of the immune system, including production of immune defense cells (leucocytes), their ability to migrate to the site of the infection (chemotaxis), and the removal of viruses and other infectious invaders (phagocytosis).

This ground-breaking research is confirmed by the first clinical trials which demonstrate that high-dose vitamin C is not only in a position to prevent Coronavirus infections, but also to halve the mortality rate of severely infected, hospitalized Coronavirus patients3 – an effect which has not been documented for any of the current vaccines or pharmaceutical preparations.

The graphics below summarize the findings from our micronutrient research and simultaneously underline the benefits by comparison with an approach to combatting the pandemic limited to vaccines only:

Focus of Vaccination Strategy:

Blockade of one subtype of the Coronavirus

Vaccination strategy against coronavirus pandemic

As antibodies are developed specifically against the surface structures (spikes) of a specific Coronavirus variant, the efficacy of this vaccine against every new Coronavirus mutation is questionable.

Even if turns out that some of the anti-Coronavirus vaccines developed to date offer a certain protection against one or more Coronavirus mutations, every new mutation (called “XY” in the graphic above) is potentially in a position to infect even patients who have already been vaccinated.

With every new virus mutation, humanity is therefore exposed to the risk of facing a similar or even greater crisis than that which has occurred as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Focus of Micronutrient Strategy:

Reinforcing the defence capabilities of human body cells against attack by all subtypes of Coronaviruses

Micronutrient strategy against coronavirus pandemic

Unlike the use of vaccines which are aimed at individual Coronavirus variants, the use of micronutrients pursues the aim of strengthening the resistance of body cells to different variants and/or mutations of the Coronavirus.

Our research shows that specific combinations of micronutrients (illustrated in the graphic above as rhombuses) inhibit all the key mechanisms of the Coronavirus from penetrating and reproducing in human cells.

For instance, the production (expression) of the surface proteins of human cells (ACE2 receptors), the cellular “gateways” for any Coronavirus infection, are inhibited – regardless of the Coronavirus variant or mutation4 concerned.

I am sending you this letter to inform you officially of these scientific findings.

In view of the vital importance of these findings for all mankind, I would ask you to:

  • Make these findings on the progress of micronutrient research in the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic available to all members of your
  • Initiate your own research programs at the universities and research institutes accessible to you, to further develop and expand scientific and clinical awareness of micronutrient research in combatting the Coronavirus
  • Use your influence on political decision-makers and public opinion to highlight the dangers of a strategy based solely on vaccines and to disseminate the approaches to combatting the pandemic that are possible now using effective, safe micronutrients available

My research team and I can offer you all imaginable cooperation in this approach. We are willing

  • to present our findings in detail to the members of the Academy of Science, for example in the form of a lecture, and to answer corresponding questions;
  • to plan and implement corresponding research programs and clinical trials with your members and the corresponding specialist departments of the Academy of Science;
  • together with your Academy, to prepare a nationwide health education program stressing the role of micronutrients in maintaining health;

Over the past century nine Nobel prizes in total have been awarded for the discovery of the health benefits of vitamins and other micronutrients5. The Academy of Science counts Nobel prize-winners amongst its current or former members.

I had the privilege myself of working with a two-time Nobel prize-winner who told me shortly before his death that the day would come when I would have to raise my voice on behalf of the findings of micronutrient research to facilitate a breakthrough – against all conflicting interests. This is such a moment.

In view of the scientific findings which we now have, the Academy of Science has only two alternatives: either it recognizes the scientific findings now available on the importance of micronutrients in combatting the Coronavirus pandemic – or it will lose its credibility as a promoter of science for the good of mankind.

 Yours sincerely

Dr. Matthias Rath