Fact Check: No, WHO Did Not Predict 87% Cancer Rate in India from Milk Adulteration by 2025
WHO has not issued any warning about 87 percent of cancer patients in the country being caused by adulteration in milk and its products by 2025.
- By: Sharad Prakash Asthana
- Published: Oct 1, 2024 at 03:59 PM
New Delhi (Vishvas News). A viral post circulating on social media falsely claims that the World Health Organization (WHO) has predicted that 87% of people in India will develop cancer by 2025 as a result of adulterated milk.
Vishvas News’ investigation has revealed that WHO has not issued any such warning. This false claim has previously gone viral and has been debunked by both the Government of India and WHO. Yes, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has predicted a 12.7 percent increase in cancer cases by 2025, but the major reason for this is said to be tobacco consumption and smoking.
What is the viral post?
Thread user khanabid809070 shared a screenshot (archive link) of an alleged news story on September 23. It reads, “India drinks poison, not milk, production is 14 crore liters but consumption is 64 crore liters. WHO’s warning- If adulteration is not stopped then 87% Indians will have cancer by 2025”
Investigation
To verify the viral claim, we searched it on Google with keywords. A report published six years ago on Dainik Bhaskar’s website says, “68.7 percent of the country’s milk and milk products are adulterated. Animal Welfare Board member Mohan Singh Ahluwalia has said that 89 percent of the products have one or two types of adulteration.” The report claimed that WHO has warned the Indian government that by 2025, 87 percent of the country’s population will suffer from cancer due to adulteration.
On October 18, 2022, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) refuted this claim in a post on their X account. They clarified that the World Health Organization (WHO) has not issued any such advisory.
WHO also issued a press note refuting this claim. It said that the organization Advisory has not issued any notice to the Indian government on the issue of adulteration in milk or milk products.
Vishvas news debunked this fake claim once earlier as well. Back then, Vishvas News contacted Shamila Sharma, Communication Officer of WHO’s South-East Asia Region. She said that this post was fake.
According to the news published on Aaj Tak’s website on March 2, 2023, ICMR has predicted a 12.7 percent increase in cancer cases by 2025. Alcohol and tobacco consumption, smoking, obesity, lifestyle, pollution, poor diet and lack of physical activity etc. have been cited as the reasons for this.
We scanned the profile of the user who shared the fake post. The user has 16 followers and is influenced by a certain ideology.
Conclusion: WHO has not issued any warning about 87 percent of cancer patients in the country being caused by adulteration in milk and its products by 2025.
- Claim Review : WHO Predict 87% Cancer Rate in India from Milk Adulteration
- Claimed By : Threads User
- Fact Check : Misleading
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