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The MP for Sarnia, among Ontario’s hardest-hit areas for COVID-19 deaths, is stepping back from public comments that suggested sick Canadians should use an unproven treatment and that economic interests soon need to take priority.

Marilyn Gladu, Conservative member for Sarnia-Lambton since 2015, in an interview with Blackburn Radio incorrectly touted the “nearly 100 per cent” effectiveness of a drug trumpeted by President Donald Trump, hydroxychloroquine, as a cure for the virus that has killed tens of thousands worldwide and shut down communities across North America.

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Hours after her comments were broadcast and began sparking criticism, Gladu sought to clarify her stance on Twitter.

“My comments were taken out of context and do not accurately represent the full plan needed,” she wrote of the radio interview, which was roughly four minutes in length and appeared to be aired unedited. “We are in an unprecedented health crisis right now and Canadians rely on advice from health experts that is based on evidence and research.”