The Food and Drug Administration FDA to combat fake product advertisements
FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate announced plans to establish a task force, in collaboration with other agencies, to address the issue of fake product advertisements. Speaking after a sectoral meeting with President Marcos, Zacate highlighted the challenges posed by fake advertisements, particularly those circulating online.
Zacate emphasized the difficulty in apprehending the perpetrators of online fake advertisements, as they can easily remove the posts once detected. He explained that serving subpoenas or summonses to these advertisers requires a physical location, which many of them lack due to their illegitimate nature.
Despite coordination efforts with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Zacate noted that perpetrators often evade capture by swiftly removing the posts and creating new ones.
The proposed task force will involve key agencies such as the NBI, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), aiming to streamline enforcement efforts.
In addition to government agencies, Zacate mentioned collaboration with celebrities to address the issue. He underscored the importance of using only FDA-approved products, emphasizing their safety, efficacy, and quality. Zacate issued a reminder that products should be used only for their approved indications.
This announcement follows a previous FDA warning against unauthorized glutathione use, particularly on social media platforms, and endorsements by celebrities of certain whitening services offered by clinics.
