health-related fact checks

FACT CHECK: Philippine FDA debunks all-cure claims of Paragis herbal products

Ferdinand Zuasola

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FACT CHECK: Philippine FDA debunks all-cure claims of Paragis herbal products
The Philippine Food and Drug Administration has also called on all local government units and local enforcement agencies to close ranks in cracking down on the unlicensed herbal products of GFMQ

The claim: The all-cure herbal products called Paragis Bila-Bila Plus Herbal Capsule and Linement Oil manufactured by a company named GFMQ claims to cure practically all kinds of illnesses.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: On its official Facebook page, GFMQ, the manufacturer of the all-cure herbal products, says the reason why the medical community is up in arms against their products is because medical doctors are now losing money as the people would rather choose their herbal products “because they are proven effective and affordable.”

GFMQ’s Facebook page has 1,100 followers. Its post dated September 21, 2018, that claims its products can cure 20 illnesses, has 12 likes, 8 shares, and 16 comments as of writing.

Other details: The all-cure herbal products are being advertised all-day long on almost all radio stations in the provinces and cities of the Davao Region.

In daily advertisements through radio and on its official Facebook page, the manufacturer of Bila-Bila Plus Herbal Capsule and Linement Oil claims their products can cure the following 20 illnesses: all kinds of cancer, ovarian cyst and myoma, kidney problem, arthritis, diabetes, wounds, parasitism, urinary tract infection, fever, sprain, dandruff, dysentery, asthma, hemoptysis, bladder disorder, liver problems, jaundice, malaria, infertility in women, and epilepsy.

The product advertisement on radio and Facebook uses people from all walks of life who profess that their serious illnesses like cancer have been cured after taking the Paragis Bila-Bila Plus Herbal Capsule and Linement Oil. 

Despite a reminder on the packaging of the product that says it has “no approved therapeutic claims,” many people, especially the marginalized and education-deprived sector, continue to buy the Paragis Bila-Bila Plus Herbal Capsule and Linement Oil.

The facts: The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has debunked the all-cure claim of GFMQ for their products as the agency has warned the public not to purchase the Paragis Bila-Bila Plus Herbal Capsule and Linement Oil because the products are unlicensed.

In a public advisory posted on its official website, the FDA said the Paragis products of GFMQ company “[have] not gone through the registration process of the Agency and [have] not been issued with proper authorization in the form of Certificate of Product Registration. Thus, the agency cannot guarantee their quality and safety. Therefore, consumption of such violative products may pose potential danger or injury to health.”

The FDA has issued a stern warning to all establishments in the country that continue to sell the GFMQ products as the agency has vowed to pursue regulatory actions and sanctions against violators of the law. Rappler.com

Ferdinand Zuasola is an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.

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