Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 21) — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tracking down unregistered and fake or counterfeit products posted on online selling platforms, as well as advertisers posting ads with fake celebrity endorsers.
In a briefing on Friday, the FDA said it is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and local enforcement units to notify the platforms and take them down.
FDA Director-General Samuel Zacate said although investigations are ongoing on online ads with fake endorsers, arrests have yet to happen.
\”Pag nag-post sila sa [online] marketplace, isang click lang nila, mawawala sila, hindi namin sila matutunton. Kumbaga sa isda, madulas. So it entails intel operations and counter-intel operations,\” he said.
[Translation: If they post on the online marketplace, in just one click, they could disappear and we cannot track them. Just like fish, they’re hard to catch. It entails intel operations and counter-intel operations.]
\”If I divulge it, magsisitaguan na naman ‘yan sa mga lungga nila,\” Zacate added.
[Translation: If I divulge it, they will start hiding.]
The FDA chief asked the public to be more cautious about the products they are consuming by verifying their registration through their portal. Consumers may input the product’s name and brand on the portal for verification.
\”If they see a product that is being regulated by the FDA sa online platforms, i-verify naman nila sa verification portal kung ito po ay rehistrado kasi ito ‘yong kasiguraduhan nila para masabi na itong produkto na ito ay nagdaan sa proseso at garantiya ang kanilang safety and efficacy,\” he explained.
[Translate: If they see a product that is being regulated by the FDA on online platforms, they could verify these on the verification portal if they are registered. That is their assurance that the product underwent the process and ensures their safety and efficacy.]
Oplan Katharos
Zacate said he is eyeing to launch an initiative against these illegal activities, especially on products with \”very questionable safety profiles,\” to further protect public health.
He said it will be called \”Oplan Katharos,\” which will seek the development and implementation of guidelines governing the FDA’s handling, storage, and disposal of seized health products.
\”Although, I’m trying to streamline [it], mahirap kasing gawin siya nang hindi pa matapos ‘yong sistema [because it’s difficult to create it if the system is not yet finished]… Siguro [Maybe] a few months from now I will launch the Oplan Katharos together with the NBI and CIDG,\” he told reporters.
\”It is a guaranteed innovation with the FDA, a more proactive FDA, and a more helping FDA for this new administration,\” the director-general added.
On June 26, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada filed a resolution to investigate fake online advertisements using celebrities to endorse food and health products.
READ: Senate urged to probe fake online ads using celebrities to endorse food, health products
