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Trump Soda Cancer Claim Disputed by Thai Academic

A Thai academic has publicly rejected a claim attributed to US President Donald Trump that diet soft drinks can kill cancer cells, warning there is no scientific evidence to support the idea. On 20 April 2026, Dr Jessada Denduangboripant, a biology lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, shared a fact-check post addressing the claim and urging the public not to believe it.

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The claim emerged from foreign media reports citing Mehmet Oz, director of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and an ally of Trump. Oz said on the podcast “Triggered with Don Jr.”, hosted by Donald John Trump Jr., that Trump had previously suggested diet soft drinks could “kill grass” and therefore might also kill cancer cells in the human body.

Dr Jessada responded by describing the claim as incorrect and unsupported by scientific research. In his post, he noted that medical professionals, scientists, experts, and public health agencies have all rejected the idea, emphasising that no credible evidence exists to show diet soft drinks can treat or kill cancer cells.

He also referenced previous controversial health-related statements attributed to Trump, including claims that sunlight could kill COVID-19, that disinfectant injections might treat the virus and that pregnant women should avoid paracetamol due to alleged links to autism. Dr Jessada characterised these remarks as examples of misinformation and stressed the importance of relying on verified scientific data.

Experts cited in the wider response to the claim have similarly warned that such statements could mislead the public and create false hope regarding serious illnesses like cancer. Health authorities continue to emphasise that cancer treatment requires evidence-based medical care, not unproven or anecdotal remedies.

Naewna reported that the issue highlights ongoing concerns about the spread of health misinformation, particularly when amplified by public figures. Medical professionals are expected to continue reinforcing accurate guidance and encouraging the public to consult qualified healthcare providers for treatment decisions.

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image.png Adapted by ASEAN Now Naewna 21 Apr 2026

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Jim Blue Platinum Member

Jim Blue

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Thought he had other things on his .......mind ?

jacko45k Star Member

jacko45k

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Didn't he have a cure for Covid during that epidemic?

Jim Waldron Silver Member

Jim Waldron

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Should really be calling Trump Moses, given that whenever he speaks Bulrushes!

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Slowhand225 Gold Member

Slowhand225

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A Thai academic, thats rich.

GammaGlobulin Star Member

GammaGlobulin

Advanced Member

When Trump pontificates about Science Facts, one must take everything he says with a grain of salt.

Trump knows absolutely nothing about science.

leverito Explorer Member

leverito

Member

Trump is a big scientist.But Thai academics are even bigger scientists.

phetphet Ruby Member

phetphet

Advanced Member

Trump should swallow a few Mentos before drinking his Diet Coke. That will really show him what it can do. 😀

FlorC Platinum Member

FlorC

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Trump had previously suggested diet soft drinks could “kill grass” and therefore might also kill cancer cells in the human body.

Trump logic.

Tug Star Member

Tug

Advanced Member
13 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Trump should swallow a few Mentos before drinking his Diet Coke. That will really show him what it can do. 😀

Perhaps you have hit on his tendency to soil himself his diet drinks combined with mentos …..hummm…perhaps.realistically no one should take verbatim anything this man says because it can all change in an instant the dudes a fraud.

BerndD Silver Member

BerndD

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Trump is the undisputed number 1 in all scientific subjects!

wavodavo Gold Member

wavodavo

Advanced Member
1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

When Trump pontificates about Science Facts, one must take everything he says with a grain of salt.

Trump knows absolutely nothing about science.

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

When Trump pontificates about Science Facts, one must take everything he says with a grain of salt.

Trump knows absolutely nothing about science.

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

When Trump pontificates about Science Facts, one must take everything he says with a grain of salt.

Trump knows absolutely nothing about science.

Insread of Dr. Jessada they should consult the only man in the U.S. who knows everything about medicines and all things medical ...RFK. .

spidermike007 Star Member

spidermike007

Advanced Member

The greatest science denier of the past century bloviates about the benefits of soft drinks. Seems as if they are eating his brain. Anything he says should be immediately dismissed as pure fiction and just the ramblings of an insane and unhinged creep.

Hardcastle P Advanced Member

Hardcastle P

Member

A good promotion for soft drink manufacturers, I wonder how much they paid him.

hanbla Senior Member

hanbla

Member
2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

When Trump pontificates about Science Facts, one must take everything he says with a grain of salt.

Trump knows absolutely nothing about science.

Are you sure? I thought he was the greatest scientist ever 🤔

Presnock Platinum Member

Presnock

Advanced Member
2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

When Trump pontificates about Science Facts, one must take everything he says with a grain of salt.

Trump knows absolutely nothing about science.

Just now, hanbla said:

Are you sure? I thought he was the greatest scientist ever

IMHO Trump knows absolutely very little factual information on any subject matter whatsoever!

wavodavo Gold Member

wavodavo

Advanced Member
15 minutes ago, Presnock said:

3 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

When Trump pontificates about Science Facts, one must take everything he says with a grain of salt.

One thing for sure Trump has stopped 10 world wars and started one. that should be good enough to get him his second world peace prize.

Cabradelmar Gold Member

Cabradelmar

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Why bother. It was an idiotic statement made by a idiotic man.

cjinchiangrai Platinum Member

cjinchiangrai

Advanced Member
3 hours ago, FlorC said:

Trump had previously suggested diet soft drinks could “kill grass” and therefore might also kill cancer cells in the human body.

Trump logic.

Gasoline kills grass too. Try some of this Donnie.

cjinchiangrai Platinum Member

cjinchiangrai

Advanced Member
46 minutes ago, hanbla said:

Are you sure? I thought he was the greatest scientist ever 🤔

That was RFK saying hold my milk.

unblocktheplanet Diamond Member

unblocktheplanet

Advanced Member

Dr Jessada, why would you soil your medical reputation by dignifying such an opinion with a reply?

newnative Diamond Member

newnative

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All joking aside, utterly irresponsible for Trump to spout such a claim, with no scientific evidence whatsoever. There are always going to be some who will believe what a world leader says, simply because they are world leaders, who have prestige, importance, power, and influence. Good going for the Thai academic to caution any gullible Thais to not ditch their cancer treatments for a soft drink.

No matter what preposterous lie Trump tells, some will believe it to be true. Are Haitian immigrants eating the pets of their neighbors? No, but Trump said they were and some believe that to be true. Ditto for his claims on his tax cuts being the largest, his economy being the best, etc, etc. The list is endless--over 30,000 lies in his first term alone. All not true--but believed by some because of who is saying it.

Jonathan Swift Gold Member

Jonathan Swift

Advanced Member
8 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Didn't he have a cure for Covid during that epidemic?

Ivermectin worm medication, Lysol, Bleach. Actually it seems there's a direct connection between his diet coke and dementia. I rest my case.

worgeordie Star Member

worgeordie

Advanced Member

Well in his own twisted mind he thinks of himself as a Red Cross Doctor,

although many thought it was Jesus ,either way he needs a golden prize

for discovering the cure for Cancer , why nobody thought of this before,

amazes me

regards worgeordie

tomazbodner Ruby Member

tomazbodner

Advanced Member
24 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

there's a direct connection between his diet coke and dementia

Diet Coke - the silver can with Aspartame? Very believable, given how approval process for it went... Might cause more than just dementia.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/dec/15/foodanddrink.immigrationpolicy#:~:text=On%20the%20day%20of%20his%20inauguration%20as,that%20long%2Dterm%20aspartame%20use%20can%20cause%20cancer.

In summary: The approval of aspartame (NutraSweet) in the United States in 1981 was a highly controversial process marked by a significant turn of events immediately following the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan. After the FDA had previously denied approval based on safety concerns, the new administration's appointed officials, specifically at the FDA, reversed this decision.

Safety Concerns: Internal FDA investigators had previously suspected that G.D. Searle had submitted fraudulent or inaccurate safety data for aspartame, even initiating a criminal investigation in the late 1970s.

Delaney Amendment: Dr. M. Adrian Gross, a former FDA toxicologist, argued that approving aspartame violated the Delaney Amendment, which bans food additives that cause cancer in animals.

GammaGlobulin Star Member

GammaGlobulin

Advanced Member
4 hours ago, hanbla said:

Are you sure? I thought he was the greatest scientist ever 🤔

You're talking about his great knowledge of Political Science.

I was referring to the Natural Sciences.

placnx Platinum Member

placnx

Advanced Member
8 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

You're talking about his great knowledge of Political Science.

I was referring to the Natural Sciences.

If he were competent in political science, he wouldn't have started a war in the midterms year, but of course it was Netanyahu who led him on, and N is trying to win an election in October, so the matter coudn't wait.

GammaGlobulin Star Member

GammaGlobulin

Advanced Member
7 minutes ago, placnx said:

If he were competent in political science, he wouldn't have started a war in the midterms year, but of course it was Netanyahu who led him on, and N is trying to win an election in October, so the matter coudn't wait.

Either The BB gets elected...or...

The BB goes to prison due to outstanding court cases against him.

Banoo Newbie

Banoo

Member

It’s Trump’s sense of humor. Either you get it or you don’t. Can’t believe a scientist had to step in on that one 555

placnx Platinum Member

placnx

Advanced Member
56 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Either The BB gets elected...or...

The BB goes to prison due to outstanding court cases against him.

Anyway, starting a furor over carcogenic Coke will further distract from the Iran war AND Epstein.

0ffshore360 Gold Member

0ffshore360

Advanced Member
9 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

When Trump pontificates about Science Facts, one must take everything he says with a grain of salt.

Trump knows absolutely nothing about science.

Salt? Don't get them started !

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