Taipei City Councilor Tung Chung-yen (童仲彥) yesterday accused a local company of falsely advertising the products it sold as cures for cancer and diabetes.
Tung showed a video clip in which a man surnamed Chang (張) made various claims about his products, describing one as a treatment for diabetes that eliminated the need for insulin injections and another as a cure for hypertension that could replace regular pharmaceuticals.
The products were brought to his attention when his assistant, Kuei Chia-wen (桂嘉文), suffered side effects from using them, Tung said.
“I started having nosebleeds after using the products for two days. [Chang] told me it was because of the weather,” Kuei said.
He had believed that he would not need dialysis after taking the products, Kuei said, adding that he had experienced acute renal failure after one month of use.
Tung said that Chang even claimed the products were used by Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital Deputy Superintendent Chu Da-chen (璩大成) to cure his parents of serious conditions.
When Tung called Chu for confirmation, Chu said he was not familiar with Chang or his products.
In a phone call with Tung, Chang said he was only acquainted with Chu’s mother and the products helped her deal with cellulitis many years ago.
The products he sells are food products and not medication, Chang said.
The Taipei City Department of Health will investigate the case and look into the composition of the products, Medical Affairs Division director Ho Shu-an (何叔安) said.
The department will determine whether Chang is involved in medical practice and whether he made the alleged claims about his products, he said.
Food producers are not allowed to make therapeutic claims about their products, Food and Drug Division technician Chou Chien-ming (周建銘) said, adding that if Chang had made such claims, he could face fines for breaching the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法).
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