Doctors prohibited from endorsing healthcare products

MANILA, Philippines - Starting next month, doctors will no longer be allowed to endorse personal care products and food supplements. This was after the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) revised its Code of Ethics to prohibit the practice, which it said is unbecoming of medical practitioners. “It’s improper for doctors to endorse food supplements, soaps or any other personal and healthcare product, so we decided to amend our Code of Ethics to discourage this practice,” said Dr. Rey Melchor, president of PMA. Melchor said the newly formulated rules will be effective next month upon the final release of the implementing rules and regulations. The decision to modify their Code of Ethics was a result of the growing number of doctors endorsing and promoting food supplements that have no “therapeutic effects.” Santos said that even though these physicians do not ask the public to buy the products, their mere appearance in commercials is tantamount to endorsing them. “We are doctors and whatever we say can have an impact on the public. Even if you don’t ask them to buy this product, when you say ‘nasa dugo lang yan (it’s only in the blood), you’re already encouraging them to buy a product (that supposedly improves blood circulation),’ he said. Under the new policy, violators are likely to face possible suspension and revocation of their license by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Citing the Medical Act of 1959, Santos said the PRC-Board of Medicine is bound to uphold and implement the PMA’s standards of ethics. Even non-PMA members are covered by its Code of Ethics. “There’s no fine or jail term for this but I think merely losing your license is a very severe penalty already,” he said. Medical practitioners particularly doctors are being tapped by pharmaceutical companies as its endorsers for food supplements. - GMANews.TV