Thai Foundation For Consumers Demands Probe Into 'Herbal Water'

[webfact]

Foundation demands probe into 'herbal water'

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

The Foundation for Consumers is demanding the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conduct an investigation into possible chemical contamination of "herbal water" products after four people in the Northeast developed severe symptoms after consuming them.

"Some of them developed pains in the neck and stomach after drinking this herbal water," Aporn Athasa of Roi Et Foundation for Consumers office said.

Speaking at a press conference to reveal the preliminary results of a nationwide consumer product safety survey, she said herbal water was being sold and advertised via community radio stations and cable television across the country.

"Local radio DJs and merchants claim the herbal drinking water boosts immunity, contains antioxidants and cures several diseases," she said.

The product, which is sold at Bt1,400 per bottle, has been registered as a supplementary product with the FDA but there iss no evidence of additional health benefits, she said.

The foundation received complaints from four people in Roi Et who developed severe symptoms after drinking the product.

The first person was sent to hospital after developing muscle pains and fatigue after drinking herbal water. They were treated for severe symptoms for two weeks.

The second case was a Parkinson's patient whose symptoms did not improve after drinking water.

The third case was a patient with thyroid problems who could not walk after drinking a half bottle of herbal water. The person was later diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

The last case was a patient with osteoporosis whose symptoms did not improve after drinking the product.

"The advertisers have used some patients who have good experience with the products to tell the audience about how their symptoms have improved by drinking this herbal water," Aporn said.

Customers made phone calls to local radio DJs to order the products, which were delivered directly to patients or family members. The products were also available at car boot sales and drug stores.

The foundation also found that health products such as slimming coffee and coffee to cure erectile dysfunction were also being sold and advertised on community radio and local cable television channels in Khon Kaen.

"We found that more than 50 per cent of products that had been being advertised to have health benefits via community radio and local cable television were likely not registered with the FDA," Theparak Boonraksa of Khon Kaen Foundation for Consumers office.

The foundation also found that serial numbers printed on the products did not appear in the FDA database, he added.

Foundation coordinator Pachara Kaewkla said there were many loopholes in the Food and Drug Administration's regulations that meant the unscrupulous escaped punishment. They were fined just Bt1,000 to Bt2,000 each time.

"The Public Health Ministry and relevant agencies should revise their food regulations to give tough punishments to manufacturers and advertisers who violate the law," Pachara said.

-- The Nation 2011-05-27

[dumball]

Many bottled ' Waters ' are a farce unto themselves , but then again , many people are searching for a cure-all in as easy a way as possible , what is noted as being added to water is usually in miniscule amounts , do not believe everything you read or hear about bottled water , use a ceramic filter system and take your vitamins in supplimentary form , that way at least you will know what is going into your sytem .

[Thaddeus]

The first person was sent to hospital after developing muscle pains and fatigue after drinking herbal water. They were treated for severe symptoms for two weeks.

The second case was a Parkinson's patient whose symptoms did not improve after drinking water.

The third case was a patient with thyroid problems who could not walk after drinking a half bottle of herbal water. The person was later diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

The last case was a patient with osteoporosis whose symptoms did not improve after drinking the product.

"It turned me into a newt"

In a small way, I am involved with a local radio station, some of the 'promotions' for products would try to make you believe that if Christopher Reeve had bought them he would still be around and Stephen Hawking would be playing basket ball right now.

Advertising standards here are a joke.

[jaltsc]

Let's see...."There's a sucker born every minute"..."Never give a sucker and even break"....I could go on forever.....

[exbelg]

anyone went to Scuzzi pizza lately? read their ingredients... with each pizza they give you FREE CHEMICALS AND POLLUTENTS....

[slapout]

If the products have not been FDA approved, they are on the market. Why not help safeguard the consumer and tell them what Name the item is sold under?

[SuZarchiSeint]

My mom bought and paid nearly 15k baht for the stupid Bio Disc. It is just a glass plate which claimed to have been embedded 13 minerals that we lost in the water we drink daily. I am assuming all these companies which sell those herbal or magic products are mostly MLM. They would say any BS for their pushy-selling. Opss.. Sorry off topic.

Edited May 27, 2011 by SuZarchiSeint

[blazes]

Does anyone know the actual name under which the "herbal water" is being marketed?

Does anyone know the supposed contents (presumably listed on the label)?

[jimbeam1]

Does anyone know the actual name under which the "herbal water" is being marketed?

Does anyone know the supposed contents (presumably listed on the label)?

My girlfriend came home lunch time with a ad booklet for some thing like this. It had loads of herbal pills claiming to heal various ailments. One of the products was what looked like a bottle of wine. There were various photo's, around 25 showing the ingredients. Things such as fruits,veg, herbs and spices, which we eat on a daily basis. In their spiel they satated I think it was 32 Ingredients, so as g/f asked what are the other 7? (The booklet was all in Thai)

The company is called, Ramit a beauty?

This is their link (all in Thai so will need translator?)

http://www.ramitabeauty.com/index1.html

jb1

Just went on their site, the drink is a health coffee and it does give all ingredients.

Edited May 27, 2011 by jimbeam1

[slapout]

There are some snake oils for sale on the Thai market. My wife has been enticed to purchase some from people who she calls friends. The latest is a powder for mixing with water which is called a vegetable/fruit mix packaged by Genufood.

She assured me it was good for all organs of the body, heart, liver, kidney problems, gives energy, just about anything imaginable. I have not noticed any improvement in people skills, but maybe that is a extended time benifit.

[Deeral]

Sadly - the Thai medical industry is deeply interwoven with these sort of products.

Many hospitals offer "quack" medicines and therapies under the guise of "alternative medicine".

THere is no such thing as "alternative" medicines.

Medicines and treatment are either shown scientifically to work in clinical trials or NOT...if not they should not be allowed anywhere near a hospital as they then use this to dupe gullible patients into thinking their treatment as some medical validation.

[FOODLOVER]

I'm curious about this chicken water my wife pays a fortune for in little green bottles. It's chicken stock reduction, right? Thats just chicken bones and water! 70 baht = $2.33 for 3 oz. That is some expensive ass soup!

She swears by it and the red ones with bird spit in them as well. Marketing genius!

[slapout]

We had an old moonshiner who had labels made for his booze. He called it, Puma piss, he may have been incorporating Asian marketing ahead of his time. It may have had as much medicinal value as a lot of what is sold here, under cure all advertisement.

[Deeral]

whether it's "herbal" acupuncture, chiropractic whatever it is the modern day equivalent of snake-oil.

[TAWP]

I actually support for death-penalty for consumer fraud or sub-quality cases involving food and drinks. Be it claiming to give health-benefits they don't or being adulterated with dangerous compounds that give negative health effects.

It would sure clean up the market too.

[Thaddeus]

We had an old moonshiner who had labels made for his booze. He called it, Puma piss, he may have been incorporating Asian marketing ahead of his time. It may have had as much medicinal value as a lot of what is sold here, under cure all advertisement.

The Chinese started it............

bit rude, sorry

[FOODLOVER]

I actually support for death-penalty for consumer fraud or sub-quality cases involving food and drinks. Be it claiming to give health-benefits they don't or being adulterated with dangerous compounds that give negative health effects.

It would sure clean up the market too.

They do that in China.

[jimbeam1]

We had an old moonshiner who had labels made for his booze. He called it, Puma piss, he may have been incorporating Asian marketing ahead of his time. It may have had as much medicinal value as a lot of what is sold here, under cure all advertisement.

The Chinese started it............

bit rude, sorry

Does it work?

jb1

Edited May 29, 2011 by jimbeam1

[Thaddeus]

We had an old moonshiner who had labels made for his booze. He called it, Puma piss, he may have been incorporating Asian marketing ahead of his time. It may have had as much medicinal value as a lot of what is sold here, under cure all advertisement.

The Chinese started it............

bit rude, sorry

Does it work?

jb1

I would guess that it is about as credible as the emails in my spam folder.