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 6, 2003
Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
Orapun Metadilogkul, also the president of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association of Thailand, said her studies were reliable and published in two international medical journals -- HIV Clinical Trials 2002 of Thomas Land Publishers and Elsevier Vaccine Journal of Elsevier Science Ltd.
The Public Health Ministry on Tuesday set up a panel to look into papers Dr Orapun presented at a meeting on Feb 26. One said the blood of 22 HIV sufferers who had taken V-1 immunitor for a year became HIV negative.
Public health permanent secretary Vallop Thainua said Dr Orapun's claims misled the public into thinking V-1 Immunitor could cure HIV.
Dr Orapun said the ministry was wrong, and was doing nothing to prove whether the product was effective.
V-1 Immunitor, which is said to contain mainly magnesium, is registered as a food supplement with the Food and Drug Administration, but has been promoted as an oral vaccine for HIV/Aids by the Ban Bangprakong medical clinic in Chachoengsao.
Dr Orapun said the ministry should have contacted her personally because the claims damaged her reputation.
Director-general of the Diseases Control Department Charan Trinwuttipong, who heads the investigation, said the results of his findings would be released in a month.
The panel would interview Dr Orapun and interview other concerned parties.
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