A Facebook (FB) page posted a video advertisement for a product called Innercure supposedly endorsed by cardiologist Willie Ong and his general practitioner wife Liza Ramoso-Ong. This is fake.
Nearly six months after it was uploaded on March 11, the video continues to circulate among Filipino netizens. It contains clips of the couple discussing causes and symptoms of gallstones, and a drug that treats the condition. A narrator then claimed that Ong endorsed Innercure which allegedly can eliminate gallstones, improve blood circulation and prevent blood clots among other feats.
Included in the post is a link to a website (INNERCURE.ONLINE) where netizens are promised discounts and asked for their personal information to buy the product.
The ad is fake. The product is not registered with the Food and Drug Administration as a drug or food supplement.
According to Ong’s May 7 FB post, they do not endorse any drug or food supplement, only a milk product for seniors.
The video used clips from Ong and Ramoso-Ong’s vlog from July 10, 2020 about gallbladder stones and fatty liver.
In the original video, Ong mentioned medication that may help reduce gallstones, but it was cut before they mentioned its name — ursodeoxycholic acid.
Contrary to the ad narrator’s claim, the cardiologist never recommended Innercure in his 35-minute vlog.
According to the United States National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, gallstones are usually treated with surgery to remove the gallbladder, although doctors sometimes use nonsurgical treatments.
Last June, gastroenterologist and hepatologist Angelo Lozada also disowned the fabricated quote card attributed to him in the fake advertisement.
This is not the first time that VERA Files Fact Check debunked fake ads that used the identities of health experts and celebrities to promote unregistered cures.
Investigations on the spread of fake ads for health products are also ongoing. On Aug. 18, Department of Health special adviser Dr. Tony Leachon filed a complaint with the National Bureau of Investigation aiming to address the unauthorized and deceitful use of his professional identity to promote unverified health products.
(Read Bogus ‘CNN Philippines’ site posts FAKE story on joint disease cure)
The video uploaded by the FB page Dr. Arcy – tungkol sa Bato sa Apdo o gallstone (created on Jan. 29 as Dr. Arcy – tungkol sa Bato sa Apdo o gallstone) has 14,000 reactions, 4,000 comments, 1,900 shares and 983,000 views as of writing.
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(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
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