WITHOUT the WHITECOAT
Nutraceuticals/Herbal Supplements… misleading the public
We are bombarded with all the herbal advertisements and plug-ins as early as the rooster crows in the morning as we turn on that radio. Is it a form of mental therapy or hypnotics to get us to use herbal medicines as an alternative to the traditional or prescribed medicines that our physicians order? With all the testimonies from all its users and the pharmacy sales ladies or clerks, who also give their own testimonies that all patients that were on anti-hypertensives have now shifted to herbal alternatives as their daily maintenance are just examples of the miseducated or misinformed populations of our society on the ill effects or side effects of herbal medications. Some of our colleagues in medical practice have already seen cases of "herbal nephropathy".
The broadcast media and some of print media outfit that have been filled with all the advertisements on "herbal medication" that promised to "cure" all the maladies and illnesses of the world never looked upon on the fatal effects of this herbal concoctions. One of the functions of the media is to further educate the public and its community of the effects of these herbal concoctions.
What really hurts are the increasing number of cases of herbal nephropathies that are seen and taken care of by some colleagues in medical practice. For some, herbal medicines are alternatives in the pharmaceutical intervention in medical care. But it can be proven to be a big mistake since we never have any idea what are in this preparations. Living in a third-world country, we never have the luxury to have a "USFDA"(United States Food and Drug Administration) to screen all the medications in the market, may they be herbal medications or just purely food supplements.
It was the USFDA that discovered that deadly "acid (aristocholic)" found in some herbal preparations that were sold in the west coast of the US (California) that were imported from China which have a direct link to renal failure (herbal nephropathy). In this country, we never have a government agency that would guarantee how safe are these herbal concoctions or preparations since they will be passed off as "food supplements" or something that will be labeled as "without any therapeutic effects".
Isn't this misleading, are we really getting our money's worth? What cure does this concoctions promise? Is it real "cure all" as the advertiser or promoter had placed it?..... What is the role of our government agencies tasked to monitor its regulation? The medical societies, what is their role? They will be getting all these patients with herbal nephropathy.
I think it is now high time that we all open our eyes. We should never be fooled again by these individuals who call themselves accredited natural health practitioners (it seems new to me, I don't even know what they are trained for or what they practice.) This situation is worth mentioning just simply to educate and protect our unsuspecting brothers and sisters that tend to crowd the town plaza when some "medical personnel" starts prescribing in a piece of paper some sort of prescription that can never be read or understood by the unsuspecting "victims".
A patient I admitted at Iloilo Mission Hospital was seen by a certain " Job S. Baleza", allegedly an accredited Natural Health Practitioner (Iridologist) with a # 8802-18. Baleza claims he is connected with Health Guide Iridology, Inc. of 218 El Sol Subd.,Circumferential Avenue, Cabuyao ,Laguna. The patient was admitted for bleeding per rectum. As the attending physician, I was looking for all avenues on what have caused the patient's rectal bleeding. Later I found out that my patient have consulted this individual prior to his admission at the hospital.
I really wanted to find out what are the ingredients and effects of the pills that this "individual" prescribed (in which I can never read and understand). My patient spent around P 600 pesos for the blue and brown pills with no name on it. I have tried all avenues to contact "Doctor" or "Mr" Baleza to inquire from him what these pills are for.
It is high time that we have to wake up and open our eyes to these opportunistic individuals who are just interested in our money rather than our health. So, for the best "care" always consult your friendly and accommodating Family Physician. Remember that they specialize in you and your whole family and that they are uniquely qualified.