DECATUR, Ill. (WAND)- Videos being shared online are spreading false claims of COVID-19 testing. The latest being nose swab tests contain an ingredient causing cancer.
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We spoke with a local doctor to clear up this falsehood online. Ethylene oxide is a gas commonly used to sterilize medical equipment. While it is listed by federal agencies as a carcinogen, only a small, non-hazardous amount is used to sterilize testing kits.
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"Large scale exposure yes certainly ethylene oxide is a carcinogen," said Doctor Ted Clark, chief medical officer at Decatur Memorial Hospital, "but the amounts used for the sterilization process of swabs is not a risk. It's been studied, evaluated and regulated- there is no risk there for cancer in nasal swabs."
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You can also find it in the sterilization of spices and cosmetics. Doctor Clark encourages everyone to get tested if they have symptoms or have been exposed to someone infected.
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