Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - March 5, 2003
The ministry and the Food and Drug Administration yesterday held a press conference to counter claims that the product could effectively cure the deadly disease. Dr Wallop Thainua, permanent secretary of the ministry, said Dr Oraphan Metadilogkul's claim about the effectiveness of V-1 Immunitor had misled the public into believing that the product could rid the body of HIV.
On February 26, the Rajvithi Hospital doctor, who is also president of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association of Thailand, presented a paper at the hospital on blood test results of patients who took V-1 Immunitor for 12 months, showing that their blood had changed from HIV-positive to negative. The ministry's permanent secretary said the claims had confused the public and deprived some 600,000 HIV-infected patients nationwide of the chance to get better and more effective anti-virus pills. The ministry has resolved to set up a committee to investigate Dr Oraphan and her claims.
The panel, chaired by Communicable Diseases Control Department chief Dr Charan Trinwuttipong, has been given one month to conclude the probe.
Dr Seri Tuchinda, director of the Medical Services Department, said Dr Oraphan had never submitted her findings for verification before.
Dr Supachai Khunarattanapreuk, secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration, said V-1,2,3,4 Immunitors were registered as food supplements, not anti-HIV/Aids pills as claimed. The FDA had warned a factory which manufactured V-1-4 Immunitors to stop promoting the use of its products or it would face legal action.
The FDA chief said officials had collected samples of the four products from a private Ban Pang Pakong clinic in Chachoengsao and found that magnesium was the main ingredient of the four products.
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