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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
The Facebook page promoting the alleged cure claims to be associated with endocrinologist Augusto Litonjua and links to a fake Makati Medical Center website
Claim: Filipino endocrinologist Augusto Litonjua is promoting Glufarelin Pro+, a product that claims to cure diabetes.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook page that claims to be associated with Litonjua posted the advertisement on May 23, 2024. As of writing, the post has garnered 3,100 reactions, 1,100 comments, and 405 shares. It also continues to circulate online on Facebook and Instagram.
The photo in the post contained text stating that by drinking two cups of the said supplement, those with diabetes would no longer have to take medication.
The post’s caption included a link to a website purporting to be that of Makati Medical Center (MMC). The site listed down the product’s benefits, a supposed statement of support from Litonjua, and an alleged certificate of product registration from the Philippine Food and Drug Authority (FDA).
The facts: Litonjua does not endorse the product Glufarelin, according to an advisory from the MMC Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism.
Moreover, the link included in the post leads to a fake website impersonating the hospital.
The MMC’s official website features different content and layout compared to the fake one, which includes several claims about the supposed diabetes cure along with an order form. This order form requires buyers to input their phone number, which may potentially expose users to phishing attempts. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing).
In July 2023, Vera Files had already debunked a similar claim. In the article, endocrinologist Marjorie Ramos was quoted as saying that Litonjua is “not endorsing any specific product or supplement.”
Unregistered: The product “Glufarelin Pro+” is not included in the FDA’s list of registered products, despite the fake website showing an alleged FDA certificate of registration.
In its fake certification, the product used the registration number of the FDA-registered product “Glufarelin Gold.” It also featured a QR code that, when scanned, resulted in “No records found” on the FDA verification portal.
Too good to be true claim: In 2022, Rappler had already debunked the use of the milk product as a supposed diabetes cure, highlighting that there is no single cure for diabetes, contrary to claims.
The US FDA also released an announcement in 2021, advising the public to be wary of purchasing dietary supplements claiming to treat diabetes.
“The FDA advises consumers to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or other health care provider before deciding to purchase or use any dietary supplement or drug. Also, if claims sound too good to be true, they probably are,” it wrote.
Suspicious Facebook page: Based on the page transparency information, the page claiming to be associated with Litonjua was created in May 2024, the same month the claim was posted. It also has administrators based in Vietnam, a pattern observed in other fake pages promoting unregistered products. – Lyndee Buenagua/Rappler.com
Lyndee Buenagua is a third year college student and an alumna of Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
