THE PHILIPPINE WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY

and its Affiliate Schools for Men and Women

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PHARMACY

(with specialization in Management and Administration)

CRITIQUE PAPER

Subject: Nutraceutical, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine (MCPH 402)

Professor: Vieno Gino Cruz, RPh, MSPh

Submitted by: Winsome Joy G. Manongsong, RPh

FALSE AND MISINFORMATION ON NUTRACEUTICALS, FUNCTIONAL FOODS &

HERBAL MEDICINES

Critical Reading
The Internet has transformed the way people exchange and obtain information.
Information about anything is now accessible than ever. Since the emergence of
modern technology, social media networks, and devices such as smartphones and
tablet or laptop computers, individuals may access information at practically any time of
day. Internet has now become an important part of our daily lives, shaping how we work
and interact. It has also impacted how patients access health-related information.
Patients' knowledge, competence, and engagement in health decision-making
strategies can all be enhanced by access to online health information. They can easily
access and gain information with just one click away.
Filipinos are avid social media users. According to current estimates, the
Philippines has 76 million active social media users (Gonzales, 2021). The social media
has raised the people’s awareness – politically, environmentally, and especially in the
field of healthcare. The dissemination of information is perhaps the most important
benefit of social media in healthcare. It enables health institutions and organizations to
share findings, studies, medical advice and recommendations, and relevant events to
the public. Social media is increasingly being used for health communication, both as a

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source for consumers and as an outreach tool for health care professionals. Consumers
can use Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and other forms of social media to post
information about personal health experiences and seek information from others.
However, not all social media platforms are safe and reliable.
In social media, information spreads like wildfire. While social media is an
excellent tool for spreading health information, most of the health information posted on
numerous sites is of poor quality and lacks credibility. Unreferenced or incomplete
medical information is also possible. It is also changeable by anybody. False
advertisement has also made an impact in public awareness and their knowledge of
certain health condition. Several erroneous information relating to health or medicine
are also being disseminated across social media platforms.
Individuals have often acquired information from sources other than the formal
health care system, and health misinformation and deception are nothing new. Filipinos
are easily believer of hearsays, positive testimonies especially of their favorite idols or
influencers they look up to, encouraging advertisements and posts that promote a
certain product especially in nutraceuticals, functional foods and herbal medicines. With
the wide use of social media platform, public can now easily search and view anything
within their reach. One post from someone that claims they have been cured from a
severe condition with the use of a certain nutraceuticals or herbal medicines can lead to
thousand shares and responses from a lot of people across the country. And with the
emergence of several e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Carousell, etc.,
these products that claimed to cure certain illnesses can be easily obtained and bought
by almost everyone.

Critical Thinking
The practice, and use of nutraceuticals, functional foods and herbal medicines
are very common here in the Philippines. The Philippines' nutraceuticals, functional
foods and herbal medicines industry is now in its early stages of development due to the
rising middle-class population's reliance on traditional pharmaceutical medicine
systems. The Philippines' politically and economically stable economy, as well as the
majority of the labor force, have all contributed to Filipino consumers' growing capacity

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and desire to enhance both mental and physical health through nutraceuticals. The
majority of the Filipino population was composed of middle-class consumers. This
growing number of medium and upper-income consumers give possibilities for these
firms in the Philippines to expand throughout the projected timeframe, since various
income groups prefer to purchase different types of products (Markets Insider, 2019).
The consumer preference toward natural and organic components claimed by
nutraceuticals, herbal medicines, and functional food and beverage products over
artificial ingredients such as sweeteners, preservatives and colorings and the public
term “chemical” or “synthetic” products is one of the driving forces that might impact the
belief and reliance of many Filipinos in the use and consumption of these kind of
products.
History is also an important consideration. Our conviction in the usage of natural
and herbal products has been engraved in our thoughts for decades, as our tradition
and history have taught us. Our ancestors used these procedures and remedies to heal
diseases, and we have been taught for generations that natural solutions are safe,
effective, and inexpensive.
Nutraceuticals, functional foods, and herbal medicines are also less expensive
than conventional drugs, thus people are more urged to use and purchase these
products because most people cannot afford to undergo check-ups, visit their doctor,
and pay their prescription medications. As a result, these individuals will prefer to use
these remedies rather than allopathic medicines.
With the advent of the internet and social media, there has been an increase in
promotions, claims, and the spread of disinformation regarding these products. Most
products, such as nutraceuticals, functional foods, and herbal medications, promise to
heal various diseases such as cancer, digestive, respiratory, musculoskeletal,
endocrine disorders, and nearly any diseases you may think of. Posts, ads, and
testimonials concerning these claims can be found all over the internet. These creates
fraud information for the general public. With the deceptive promises of these products,
they give consumers false hope and optimism that their health would be better and
their disease would be cured, but unfortunately, they may simply exacerbate their
condition.

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 Public figures, groups, and business enterprises all contribute to the propagation
of disinformation regarding these products' promises. They play a significant role since
they have the most followers and connections. Such consumers may believe that these
remedies would truly benefit them with their health issues.
The internet is littered with false claims and disinformation. To prevent negative
and detrimental outcomes, regulations and rules should be established and
implemented to help prevent the spread of deceit to the public. These should be led by
the governing agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the
Department of Health (DOH), and the governing bodies that regulate the laws and
regulations in internet safety and proper information dissemination.
As pharmacists and healthcare professionals, we are also responsible for the
right propagation of correct, reliable, and trustworthy information to consumers and the
general public. We should raise awareness among the consumers that they must be
cautious and vigilant to misleading and deceptive content they find on the internet.
These occurrences must be reported to the appropriate authorities. We must also
address customers' perceptions of misleading claims and the usage of these products.
In general, nutraceuticals, functional foods, and herbal medicines are not harmful
to humans. In reality, they are regarded safe to the general public if they have been
proven and verified safe by the authorized regulatory agencies and have lawfully
followed the proper processes and regulations in their licensing and registration. Its
usage and consumption are not limited nor discouraged. However, false claims and
misleading information regarding these products generating lies and deceits to the
general public is unethical and should be dealt appropriately.

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References:
Gonzales, G. (2021, January 30). Filipinos spend most time online, on social media

worldwide – report. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/technology/philippines-

online-use-2019-hootsuite-we-are-social-report

Marasigan, A. (2020, August 2). The state of e-commerce in the Philippines.

BusinessWorld. https://www.bworldonline.com/the-state-of-e-commerce-in-the-

philippines/

Markets Insider. (2019, January 16). Philippines Nutraceuticals Market is Expected to

Reach PHP 261 Billion in Terms of Revenues by 2022: Ken Research.

Markets.Businessinsider.Com.

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/philippines-nutraceuticals-

market-is-expected-to-reach-php-261-billion-in-terms-of-revenues-by-2022-ken-

research-1027873144

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