Without the White Coat
Cure all... it is just too much
ONE day, while reading a national newspaper, I was shocked to read about an advertisement for a cure-all pill that will address all kidney problems --- a "pharmaceutical" preparation or plain concoction whose ingredients were not even printed to further explain its use. It was like another "food supplement" that promises to "cure all" maladies.
An advertisement in the print media for some "medical" or "pharmaceutical" concoction is misleading. The same goes for commercials in radio wherein announcers push for some "herbal" concoction that promises to cure all sorts of health problems. They would even use a Cebuano speaking "patient" to testify on the concoction's effectiveness.
As respected members of the media and as professionals in our field, we should practice utmost diligence, propriety, absence of bias and being discreet for the interest of our readers and listeners so as not to mislead them.
We have cases of "herbal nephropathy" admitted in our medical institutions and those that have undergone hemodialysis so they could cleanse the body system of toxins that they got from "food supplements." The renal system, in which the kidney is a part of, is the first affected when we take "concoctions" or "medical preparations" whose ingredients are not even listed, that promise to cure all.
Why hide the main ingredients of their medical preparations?
The media, which is expected to be pro-active, responsible and educated, has the duty to keep the public away from the toxic effects of theses " food supplements".
Instead of ranting on the airwaves like wild dogs pushing for herbal products that promise to be "remedy" for all, we have to educate the public on the effects of herbal medicines, which "seem" to be safe. They may be natural or organic in their original state, but the preparations may cause adverse effects.
Being classified by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) as a "nutritional supplement", without no "therapeutic effects" and addresses all illnesses is so hard to swallow.
We should look on the side effects that herbal medicine as proven by the condition of " herbal nephropathy" that was witnessed by our nephrologists here.
Hopefully, in the future, there will be a "pill" that will address all the diseases of mankind, or will make one young again. But as of this moment , there's no such thing as a "cure all", so let's be vigilant and be careful of what we put in our mouths because the effects may show in the years to come.