“Cancer-healing enzyme” advertising trap

Bottle of "strange water" costs 1.6 million VND

On the NXC Fanpage (84,000 followers), a Th.H. branded liquid product is introduced as a “biological miracle, sustaining life”, exclusively distributed by a company in Dong Nai province. The content of the posts and videos on the Fanpage claim that this type of water helps supplement enzymes, awakening the body’s self-healing ability. Although continuously affirming that the product is not a medicine, the seller cites evidence that many cancer and diabetes patients have become healthy after a period of taking enzymes. A series of uses of the water bottle are also listed such as: detoxifying, balancing physiology, preventing cancer, creating an immune barrier against all diseases, etc.

Cancer patients at Cho Ray Hospital receive standard treatment and are supported mentally with a variety of activities.

In the role of a buyer, we were enthusiastically advised by the staff about this water. The seller affirmed that enzymes are a method to help the body heal naturally, curing the disease from the root. “For cancer patients, after 6 combos (42 bottles of water), there will be a clear improvement, 13 combos (91 bottles of water) for late-stage cases,” the seller shared. Not only praising the bottle of water as a “miracle”, the seller also denied the effectiveness of modern medicine in treating cancer, claiming that “chemotherapy cannot stop cancer from spreading, the disease will recur and become more severe. The more chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the more tired and exhausted the body becomes.”

Because of its "extraordinary" effects, the product is sold at an... unusual price, 1,598,000 VND/750ml bottle. However, when we received the product by post , we were quite surprised because the product was a bottle of green fruit and herbal juice, containing green grape juice, green pineapple, green apple, green guava, green papaya... On the label, the product is imported from Thailand, there is no information about the effects as advertised. A quick survey on the S. e-commerce platform, a type of "Thai enzyme fruit juice" with similar shape, ingredients, and origin, is sold for 700,000-900,000 VND/750ml bottle; another type of "Japanese enzyme water" costs 2,600,000 VND/720ml bottle.

Products with exaggerated effects or “deified” advertisements are not uncommon. Recently, when the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety discovered that GodwayPharma Company Limited (Hoc Mon District) used expired ingredients to produce food, reporters recorded many unusual information on the website GodwayPharma.com. Accordingly, this company affirmed that it had researched and successfully developed a method to cure cancer from the root, including late-stage cancer. The website contained unscientific advertising content such as: “A method to heal naturally and completely from within the body, a unique cancer treatment drug, successfully curing many diseases that world medicine has no method to cure.”

Beware of "explosive" advertising

Master-Doctor Nguyen Trieu Vu, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, expressed concern about the exaggerated advertising of products such as enzymes, alkaline water, and traditional medicine for cancer treatment. He analyzed that enzyme-supplemented water is simply fruit juice, which helps supplement vitamins for the body, and absolutely has no effect in treating cancer or other chronic diseases. "Fruit juice is good for health, but its effects are exaggerated, making cancer patients think they have found a miracle drug. The most dangerous thing is that patients can abandon the orthodox treatment regimen and indulge in unscientific methods, wasting money," Dr. Nguyen Trieu Vu warned.

Doctors give gifts to cancer patients at Cho Ray Hospital during an activity to help improve knowledge and support patients' spirits.

Dr. Luu Ngan Tam, Head of the Department of Nutrition, Cho Ray Hospital, said that functional foods or nutritional products must be advertised with the right quality, not advertised excessively, causing misunderstanding for patients and consumers.

In the context of the current "hot" functional food market, Dr. Luu Ngan Tam suggested that the authorities conduct post-inspections more frequently to control the quality and price of products. For some specific products, the manufacturer must provide evidence of human research related to special active ingredients, assessed by a research facility in accordance with regulations.

According to experts, in recent times, the hypotheses and dietary methods of healing enzymes have been “half-truths”, meaning that they provide some correct medical knowledge, then incorporate a lot of information that has no scientific basis. Many individuals and functional food businesses have taken full advantage of this to advertise, aiming to “pick the pockets” of consumers in a sophisticated way.

From a management perspective, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, said that online trading, the abuse of celebrities for advertising, buying and selling hand-carried goods, through introductions, and multi-level marketing can pose many potential risks to consumers, especially with functional foods and nutritional products. “There are currently no specific sanctions for violations when doing business online or doing small business. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately add these contents to the law. For example, regarding advertising, establishments need to prove product quality to the authorities to be granted advertising certificates, advertising units (newspapers, radio stations, celebrities...) must base on this certificate to implement,” Ms. Phong Lan emphasized.

MSc. Le Minh Hien, Head of the Social Work Department, Cho Ray Hospital, said that the hospital has organized many activities to help cancer patients improve their knowledge, not fall into the "trap" of advertising functional foods that cure all diseases and give up treatment. Specifically, the Department of Chemotherapy, the Department of Radiotherapy, the Department of Palliative Care all have bookcases with many books on cancer and nutrition by leading experts; open weekly yoga classes; organize the program "Accompanying the Cancer Warrior" to support the spirit of patients...

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Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bay-quang-cao-enzyme-chua-lanh-ung-thu-post796559.html