Thread: Fake thai drugs can kill you

HEALTH KIDNEY TREATMENT
Fake drug warning

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday warned of exaggerated claims being made in advertisements for kidney disorder treatments. The FDA did not give the name of the particular drug or manufacturer which reportedly claims to have a tablet for patients with kidney disorder that is the equivalent to having haemodialysis _ a method to remove waste products, including urea, from the blood when the kidneys are unable to perform the function properly.

Patients must normally go to hospital for the expensive treatment.

However, the advertisement claimed kidney patients could carry out the waste removal process at home simply by taking tablets.

''We've not found any such tablets or drug on the FDA's registration list, or any application to register such a drug with us,'' said FDA deputy secretary general Weerawan Taengkaew.

The advertisement was apparently a con to deceive people with kidney problems into paying for a useless drug, she said.

Patients who take the tablets could be put at risk of kidney failure.

Dialysis was the only known treatment for people with serious kidney disorder. It requires patients to take an anticoagulant and their blood is then ''cleaned'' by passing it through specialised filtering equipment.

Ms Weerawan urged the public to exercise caution.

Drug vendors who make false or exaggerated claims can be fined up to 100,000 baht under the FDA law. There is an FDA complaints hotline: 1556.

Bangkok Post