FDA: No truth in HIV contamination of Thai canned products

PHOTO from fda.gov.ph

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned the public not to share unverified text messages claiming that canned goods from Thailand had been contaminated by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

In an advisory, the agency issued its warning against circulating unverified, misleading and false information through text messages or social media about Thailand’s canned goods.

A screen grab copy of what the FDA is saying a false information.

A copy of the supposed warning was posted on the FDA website, in which the public was cautioned not to eat canned fruit products from Thailand because of HIV contamination.

The alleged warning added that many types of canned fruit products have been removed from supermarkets after these were supposedly tainted with HIV-positive blood.

The FDA said it has coordinated with Thailand’s Department of Agriculture on the matter.

“We would like to inform the public that the aforesaid message is misleading and with no credible evidences to support such accusation,” the FDA said in its advisory.

The FDA told the public to be wary of such messages being circulated through social media and text messages.

The same advisory also cautioned Filipinos not to share such unverified, misleading and false information “to avoid undue panic and hysteria.” /jpv