Doctors and pharmacists advertising food and functional foods is a violation of the law.

On April 17, the Ministry of Health issued Official Dispatch No. 2310/BYT-ATTP to hospitals, institutes, universities, and colleges of medicine and pharmacy under the Ministry of Health; food-related associations; and the Vietnam Medical Association regarding advertising of food and functional foods.

Accordingly, there is currently a situation where some doctors, pharmacists, and medical staff participate in advertising foods and functional foods, causing confusion for users.

According to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 27 of Decree 15/2018/ND-CP dated February 2, 2018 of the Government detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Food Safety: "Do not use images, equipment, costumes, names, correspondence of medical units, facilities, doctors, pharmacists, medical staff, thank you letters from patients, articles of doctors, pharmacists, medical staff to advertise food". Thus, the above action is a violation of the provisions of the law.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lam appeared in the video introducing Hacofood Group Pharmaceutical Nutrition Joint Stock Company. Screenshot

To limit excessive advertising, advertising without content assessment, providing false information about food products to consumers, the Ministry of Health requests that Hospitals under the Ministry of Health; Institutes under the Ministry of Health; Universities, Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy under the Ministry of Health; Associations and Unions related to food; Vietnam Medical Association notify all cadres, civil servants, public employees, and workers (including employees of the unit who have retired) about the above situation; at the same time review, inspect, handle according to authority or recommend competent authorities to handle if there are violations.

Previously, the police agency had dismantled a production and consumption line of nearly 600 types of fake milk. Since August 2021, the subjects have established Rance Pharma International Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company and Hacofood Group Pharmaceutical Nutrition Joint Stock Company to produce and trade powdered milk, with revenue of nearly 500 billion VND.

On the YouTube channel "International Pharmaceutical Group", a nearly 7-minute clip introduces Hacofood Group Company, which has produced many products such as: Talacmum nutritional milk, Darifa Gold, Kasumi, The Empire nutritional milk, Kawai nutritional milk, Gumi Colos 24h Baby nutritional milk...

Notably, public opinion was outraged when the clip featured images and comments from Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lam, former Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition. In it, Ms. Lam “highly” appreciated Hacofood Group Company for its strict standards in food safety management according to US FDA standards.

Dr. Le Thi Hai, former Director of the Nutrition Center, National Institute of Nutrition, appeared in the introduction of Talacmum milk. Ms. Le Thi Hai also affirmed the reputation of Hacofood Group with "11 years of experience in milk products for mothers and babies, present in almost all hospitals, clinics or milk stores nationwide".

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/bac-si-duoc-si-quang-cao-thuc-pham-thuc-pham-chuc-nang-la-vi-pham-phap-luat-210292.html