FDA warns public vs 3 ‘anti-cancer’ products

MANILA, Philippines - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday warned the public against buying an unregistered food supplement and two herbal products that supposedly fight cancer.

In an advisory, the FDA identified these products as Aro Baro Churo Organic Tea, Aro Guyabano Tea and Aro Baro Churo Guyabano capsules.

FDA director Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go said these products are being sold and distributed nationwide with label claims that are not approved by the FDA.

The products were “fraudulently labeled as 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy and that they contain Adriamycin that can kill cancer cells.”

But the FDA said that based on its records, the products are neither registered as herbal drugs nor as food supplements.

“The public is hereby warned not to buy any food supplements or herbal drug preparations that are not approved by the FDA or any products that claim to cure, treat or mitigate any form of cancer diseases,” Go said.

He added that such products “are not only ineffective and expensive but they may cause adverse reactions and events, some of which may be life-threatening.”

Go has directed FDA’s regional offices to continuously conduct monitoring and spot-checking for these products and to coordinate with local government units to ensure that these products will no longer proliferate in the market.