The FDA has backtracked on its earlier claim that vaping elevates coronavirus risk.
The agency stated in March that vapers had at a higher risk of developing COVID-19 complications.
However, in a statement issued to Bloomberg News on Thursday, a spokesperson said:
“E-cigarette use can expose the lungs to toxic chemicals, but whether those exposures increase the risk of Covid-19 is not known”
The statement comes two weeks after Iowa attorney general Tom Miller and a team of public health experts wrote to the FDA in response to Bloomberg story, ‘Vaping Could Compound Health Risks Tied to Virus, FDA Says.’
The signatories said:
“The imprecise nature of the email communication meant that the report had to be amended to stress that this assessment applied only to those with underlying conditions.
“However, the headline continues to portray vaping as an additional risk factor for COVID-19 health impacts.”
American Vaping Association (AVA) president, Gregory Conley, argued that the FDA ‘deserved no applause’ for finally stating that there is no link between vaping and increased COVID-19 risk.
Conley said:
“It was wholly irresponsible for the FDA to add fuel to the fire several weeks ago by commenting on a subject they now admit they know nothing about.”
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