MUMBAI: An inaccurate health message on
social media
prompted the country’s premier
cancer
care hospital,
Tata Memorial Centre in Parel, to issue a statement that the message was unscientific and was never uttered by its director, Dr Rajendra Badwe. The message suggested that drinking
hot coconut water
daily would destroy cancer cells by releasing an anti-cancer substance. It stressed that it was the latest treatment for all types of cancer.
The Tata Memorial Hospital statement on Thursday said the message was wrong as there was no scientific data to suggest that hot
coconut
water could cure cancer. Signed by Dr Badwe, the message requested the public to not be misinformed by such harmful messages shared on social media.
“It does more harm than good,” concurred Dr C S Pramesh, director of Tata Memorial Hospital. He said, “A lot of patients get carried away by such messages. In fact, they divert from main treatment. It proves harmful in the long run.” He added, “There was another instance that suggested cow urine could cure cancer. There is no data to suggest that, and it is extremely dangerous to rely on such techniques.”
Dr Altaf Patel, director, Department of Medicine at Jaslok Hospital, stated, “People should not believe in fake health messages. It is gullible to do so.”
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