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Friday, June 29, 2007
Health office gathers evidence v. herbal makers
By Carlo P. Mallo
DAVAO CITY -- Health officials in Southern Mindanao are documenting advertisements in television, radio, and newspapers on herbal drugs, food supplements, and vitamins making fantastic claims of therapeutic value.
The Department of Health (DOH) decided on the move after receiving numerous phone calls from the public asking about ads using testimonies of herbal users claiming food supplements and vitamins derived from herbal plants are a panacea (cure-all) of illness, including cancer.
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Ana Remolar, DOH-Southern Mindanao public information officer, said it is not enough that a manufacturer's disclaimer is printed on the product.
"Apart from having the 'no therapeutic claim approved' mark, there is still need for them to be very careful in what their advertisements are saying," Remolar said.
Most of the complaints lodged before the DOH questioned why the ads of food supplements claim that they work better than drugs or medicines.
Most ads of food supplements---on television, radio, and print---would depict an ill patient testifying to the curative properties of the food supplement.
"What the patients are experiencing is the boost in their immune system and not the cure of their illness," Arnold Alindala of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) said over Government in Action, a weekly television and radio program launched by the Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies in Southern Mindanao.
Alindada said manufacturers and distributors who claim that their herbal drugs are therapeutic could be sued pursuant to a law protecting consumers from commercial malpractices.
Remolar added that contrary to the claim of food supplements, only drugs approved by BFAD could cure specific diseases.
"Food supplements are only as good as vitamins," Remolar said.
DOH-Southern Mindanao has initiated a consultative meeting with distributors and manufacturers of food supplements to tackle the complaints against them received by the health department. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (June 29, 2007 issue)
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