Economy

Strengthening the fight against counterfeit goods and trade fraud - Part 2: Major consequences of herbal products of unknown origin.

Reporters Team • July 9, 2025 11:24

In recent years, social media has become an extremely effective marketing channel for advertisements promoting herbal remedies labeled as "traditional family remedies," "secret folk remedies," etc., with exaggerated claims about their effectiveness. In Nghe An, many people have fallen victim to these claims, losing money and suffering health consequences, even experiencing serious health problems.

In recent years, social media has become an extremely effective marketing channel for advertisements promoting herbal remedies labeled as "traditional family remedies," "secret folk remedies," etc., with exaggerated claims about their effectiveness. In Nghe An, many people have fallen victim to these claims, losing money and suffering health consequences, even experiencing serious health problems.

Money lost, health damaged by believing in "traditional" remedies.

Searching on TikTok, Facebook, or YouTube with phrases like "cure cancer with herbs," "treat nearsightedness without surgery," "treat osteoarthritis," etc., hundreds of videos appear in just seconds. These videos feature eye-catching content, flowery language, and self-proclaimed "traditional medicine practitioners" or "traditional Chinese medicine doctors," promoting various herbal extracts, decoctions, and herbal teas with "miraculous" effects: curing diseases without surgery, without Western medicine, and without going to the hospital (!).

Alarmingly, this information taps into the anxieties of many people, especially the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, who are wary of modern medicine and eager to seek out "gentle traditional remedies." Many believe these advertisements, order medicine online, and use it without any medical examination or consultation.

The case of Ms. Giang Thi Tuyen (75 years old, residing in Giai Lac commune, Nghe An province) is a clear example. Following an advertisement on TikTok about a "herbal balm" that supposedly cured joint pain in just 20 days, she spent nearly 4 million VND to buy and use it. However, after two months of persistent use, not only did her condition not improve, but she also suffered from edema, shortness of breath, and had to be hospitalized for emergency treatment.

Another case is that of Ms. Tran Thi Minh from Dien Chau commune, who shared that she bought herbal medicine for her father to treat diabetes from a Facebook account advertising a "three-generation family remedy from the highlands," which was advertised as "completely curing the disease after 60 days," at a price of 6 million VND per course; however, after less than three weeks of use, her father's health deteriorated, and he had to be hospitalized in a state of exhaustion and severe hypoglycemia.

Furthermore, numerous accounts on TikTok and YouTube advertise products such as "cancer prevention tea" at prices of several hundred thousand dong per packet, claiming they can "eliminate tumors and cancer," "treat thyroid tumors and uterine fibroids," etc. Such exaggerated claims are not only untrue but also extremely dangerous, causing patients to refuse medical treatment and risk their lives in pursuit of a fragile hope.

Investigations reveal that most online accounts selling herbal medicines do not disclose specific addresses, lack professional licenses, and do not provide invoices or documents proving the origin of their products. Sellers often use images of people in white lab coats, speaking with a mountainous accent, and claiming to be "traditional medicine practitioners" or "keepers of secret recipes" to increase credibility. Some even brazenly impersonate doctors from large hospitals or use logos from newspapers and television to "endorse" their products.

Besides the exaggerated claims about their effectiveness, many herbal remedies currently on the market also pose a risk of being counterfeited. Numerous products are widely sold by self-proclaimed traditional healers. In some cases, these products even contain preservatives or additives, posing a serious health risk to consumers.

According to medical experts, to date, no single herbal remedy has been scientifically proven to cure cancer. Some herbs may support immune system enhancement and improve symptoms, but they absolutely cannot replace medical treatment. In reality, the above are organized scams disguised as e-commerce and social media; perpetrators operate through multiple layers of fake accounts and private groups on Facebook, Zalo, Telegram, etc., to sell products, livestream misleading advice, and even lure buyers into becoming collaborators or distributors, creating a disguised multi-level marketing system.

The practice of exaggerating the benefits of herbal remedies and dietary supplements is widespread in many markets and small pharmacies in rural and remote areas. Here, many pharmacies exploit people's lack of knowledge and their desperate desire to try anything to cure their illnesses, advising and enticing them to buy products of unknown origin and with poorly labeled packaging, advertised as "miracle cures." These products are presented as "liver tonics, detoxifiers, immune boosters, blood sugar reducers, and cholesterol reducers," but are actually just ordinary dietary supplements with no therapeutic effect. Furthermore, many pharmacy owners even suggest "replacing medication," advising patients to completely abandon their doctor's prescriptions and switch to dietary supplements with promises of "no side effects" and "long-lasting effectiveness."

In rural markets and fairs, it's not uncommon to find street vendors selling various kinds of roots, dried leaves, ointments, and herbal tinctures advertised as "rare traditional Vietnamese medicine," "secret remedies of the Dao and Thai people," or "special treatments for bone and joint problems, stomach ailments, and insomnia," all for just a few tens or hundreds of thousands of dong. Sellers often accompany their claims with sensational stories, such as having cured incurable diseases or having received the remedies from an "old herbalist" in the forest. This leads many gullible people to buy and use these remedies without realizing they are putting their health, and even their lives, at risk.

For example, Mrs. BTL (60 years old), residing in Xuan Lam commune, Nghe An province, has been living with numbness and tingling in her hands and feet, and aching joints for over 10 years, making walking difficult. Instead of going to the hospital for a check-up, Mrs. L trusted the recommendation of an acquaintance in the commune, who claimed to have a traditional folk remedy combined with massage. She was instructed to use a type of herbal medicine to drink along with a daily foot massage treatment, at a total cost of over 10 million VND. Advertisements such as "complete cure after 1 month," "clearing meridians, improving blood circulation" made her hope for a miracle...

However, after persistently following the treatment for over a month, Mrs. BTL's condition not only did not improve but also showed signs of worsening. When her family took her to a medical facility for examination, the doctor concluded that her joints had severely degenerated, making treatment more difficult because she had missed the opportune time for effective medical intervention. Mrs. L's case once again illustrates the alarming consequences of naively trusting unverified, anecdotal remedies.

The uncontrolled trade and use of herbal remedies and dietary supplements pose significant challenges to public health protection. In this context, strengthening inspections, addressing false advertising, tightening management of the traditional pharmaceutical market, and raising public awareness are urgent solutions that need to be implemented comprehensively and regularly.

Finding solutions to thoroughly address violations in the herbal medicine business.

In the context of the booming e-commerce market, controlling online drug sales is a challenging problem. The majority of transactions currently take place through unofficial platforms, unregistered with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and without invoices or documentation, making it difficult for regulatory agencies to trace the origin of products and address violations.

In response to this situation, the Ministry of Health has repeatedly issued warnings to the public not to believe exaggerated advertisements, and to only use prescription medications as directed by doctors and from reputable sources. The Information Security Department (Ministry of Information and Communications) has also strongly advised against participating in unofficial health advice groups and against purchasing medications from unknown accounts.

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According to information from the Nghe An Market Management Department, from the beginning of 2025 to the present, this agency has coordinated with other forces to handle 28 cases related to the online trading of medicines and functional foods of unknown origin, imposing administrative fines of over 623 million VND. The main violations include trading counterfeit medicines, infringing intellectual property rights, false advertising of product uses, and unauthorized use of images of doctors and medical professionals.

In Nghe An, the Market Management Department has organized training for officials on identifying counterfeit and fake medicines; assigned forces to monitor e-commerce activities and crack down on online medicine selling rings. However, they face many difficulties, such as the ease of registering websites and purchasing domain names abroad. With just a few simple steps, individuals and organizations can create "virtual" sales pages without strict control from authorities. When detected or reported, these individuals quickly erase traces or move to new addresses to continue their operations, causing considerable difficulties in management and handling violations.

To tighten the management of the business and use of medicinal herbs, the Ministry of Health has issued a circular clearly stipulating the conditions for the preliminary processing and preparation of medicinal herbs. At the same time, the Department of Traditional Medicine Management regularly sends documents to local Departments of Health, requesting increased inspection and supervision of clinics and traditional medicine practices. Cases of medicinal herbs or traditional medicines of unknown origin will be strictly dealt with according to the law.

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According to statistics, the healthcare network in Nghe An province includes a total of 3,635 licensed medical and pharmaceutical establishments, of which 741 are medical establishments (19 hospitals, 39 polyclinics, and 683 specialized clinics and medical services) and 2,894 are pharmaceutical establishments (95 companies and branches; 765 pharmacies; and 2,034 drugstores). From January 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025, the Department of Health licensed 894 pharmaceutical establishments (11 companies and branches; 403 pharmacies; and 480 drugstores); issued and reissued pharmaceutical practice certificates to 875 individuals; and issued food safety certificates to 139 establishments under the management of the health sector.

(To be continued)