Did professionals recommend aloe vera products to prevent Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections? No, that's not true: A video being shared on social media is a deceptive advertisement presented as a TV news report.
The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok by @swept100 on December 4, 2023, under the title "제2의 코로나" or "Another Covid-19" (translated from Korean to English by Lead Stories staff).
It stated (as translated):
To boost immune system, professionals recommended taking aloe vera.
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Thu Dec 7 04:45:20 2023 UTC)
The video is not an authentic TV news report by any South Korean media. It is a viral marketing video for an aloe vera product, made to look like a TV news story. In every TV news story in South Korea, the broadcaster's logo is visible in the upper right corner, while in the video shown on TikTok it is missing.
Moreover, South Korean TV channels are strictly prohibited from mentioning certain product names in TV programs, especially news broadcasts. According to the Broadcasting Act (English version), the only form of commercials allowed during a TV program is product placement. In addition, this is only allowed for specific programs under specific conditions, regulated by the Enforcement Decree of the Broadcasting Act (English version). Article 59-3, on product placements, states:
(1) Product placements are permitted exclusively for cultural or entertainment programs, provided that no product placement shall be permitted for the following cultural or entertainment programs, among cultural or entertainment programs:
1. Broadcasting programs, the main audiences of which are children;
2. Broadcasting programs which require objectivity and fairness, such as news reporting, current news, commentary, and debate.
According to the regulations, news programs cannot include direct ads like the one in the TikTok.
In an emergency meeting of the KDCA -- Korea Disease Control And Prevention Agency -- held on December 6, 2023, several professionals said there was no need to panic about Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections since there have been many cases in the past and the treatment method is well-known. The key to prevention is good hygiene, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
