FDA to look into fake celeb drug endorsements

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) will instruct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to probe the online proliferation of fake celebrity endorsements of unregistered drugs and food supplements.

“I’ve seen this (on) social media. Many of my doctor friends who are popular... have been victimized for a drug that they did not endorse... This is under the realm of the FDA, a regulatory agency with police powers,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a press briefing yesterday at Malacañang.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada earlier called for a Senate investigation into fake celebrity endorsements of health products online that supposedly cure ailments like diabetes, hypertension and body pain.

“I’ll instruct the head of FDA, Sam Zacate, to coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to get to the bottom of this,” Herbosa added.

Doctors with a social media following, like Willie Ong and Anthony Leachon, have filed cases with the NBI’s cybercrime division, but fake advertisements persist.

Herbosa advised consumers to ensure that the drugs they are buying are approved by the FDA.  “The ‘FDA approved’ can be found in the bottle or in the box and those are the ones that are legal. (Smuggled products from abroad) are contraband products and the FDA can confiscate or close down stores or shops that sell these even online,” he said.