Passing off what may not be

There has been a glut of ads and info-mercials in papers and on tv, as well as graphic exposures on giant billboards promoting health foods and herbal concoctions as miracle drugs.

They not only make use of popular showbiz idols, but also professionals, like retired physicians unethically taken in and manipulated, or lured into promo ops by a wad of cash.

Name any ailment, or physical defect, there's always a cure, or a panacea that transcends more than what scientific advances and medical discoveries can provide.

Be it baldness, skin blemish, hypertension, diabetes, creaking bones, skin warts, irregular menstruation, menopause, toothache, backache, loss of memory, hard of hearing or fading eyesight, etc., there's a miraculous herbal cure, or something to heal. With money to buy, and to enrich easy money conmen as "medicine men", almost everyone is happy.

And the common con line to attract even educated "patients" who in desperation seek one-time remedy, is the catchy tagline or sassy expressions, with showbiz idols mouthing them, and baring their undies but for their covering hands as more revealing than concealing.

The common clincher, of course, is the "testimonial" of the "miracle drug" from someone who has hacked himself as the "miracle" patient, or the more revolting come-on from a retired and non-practicing medical doctor, no less, for a fat fee obviously.

In Cebu, for instance, there have been a couple or so of the community's instant leaders, who have ventured into local politics and, yes, instant popular name recall, because of their food supplement products and herbal concoctions - as if in witchcraft of old - couched in jazzy promotions and catchy ads.

With a growing number of captive victims on account of utter poverty who can't afford the boon of science and advanced medicine, they take a plunge into herbals. "Pamasin lang, uban ang pag-ampo nga unta matinuod and gibani-ug konohay nga "tambal" nga herbal… Unsaon man dili man kong kapalit sa mahal kaayong tinuorayng tambal".

This glut of food supplements touted as "miracle" drugs is now so pervading in public perception that it has to be regulated, at least for health reasons and, yes, for sanity's sake. There's that House Bill authored by Rep. Edgardo Angara, titled as Consumer Information and Protection Act, regulating strictly the accurate labeling of food and beverage products particularly those being passed off as with medicinal or therapeutic values. Angara claims that accurate labeling of food and beverage concoctions is vital in the "exercise of consumers' rights to safety, information, and choice".

Such details as "ingredient list, additives, durability indication, net content, country of origin, manufacturers, local agent, nutrition", as well as effect on "persons with special health conditions", among other info, have to be reflected in legible labels of such products for sale.

But most important of all, the label must not pass off - even if not scientifically proven by government pertinent agency, like the BFAD - that such products which are of the nature of food supplements or vitamin-source, are medicinal and/or surefire cures for certain ailments.

Such pretensions of miraculous "cure-all" are what often take in and victimize the ordinary laymen and the "desperate" sickly poor. Resort to such falsely promoted ads, as against the usually promoted branded medicine, is what those "can't afford" patients are forced to cling to, like the last straw to the drowning victim. And it's too unfair and rudely misleading.

* * *

Email: [email protected]