Vụ thực phẩm giả Fucoidan cho người ung thư: Khởi tố 9 bị can | VTV24

Key Concepts

• Fucodan: A dietary supplement falsely advertised as cancer-preventative.
• Counterfeit Goods: The production and sale of Fucodan using cheaper, unverified ingredients.
• Fraudulent Advertising: Misleading marketing tactics targeting individuals with serious illnesses like diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cancer.
• Regulatory Non-Compliance: Violations of food safety and accounting regulations.
• Consumer Harm: The negative impact on patients who relied on false claims about the product’s efficacy.

Falsified Fucodan: Production, Distribution, and Consumer Impact

The video details a case involving the production and distribution of counterfeit “Fucodan,” a dietary supplement marketed with unsubstantiated claims of preventing cancer cell growth, particularly for individuals with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and cancer. Investigations revealed significant discrepancies between the product’s advertised composition and its actual ingredients.

Ingredient Substitution and Cost Reduction

Despite packaging claiming the key ingredient, Cocodan, was imported from Japan, forensic analysis showed many product batches utilized significantly cheaper materials sourced from China – approximately one-tenth the cost of the advertised Japanese ingredient. This substitution directly impacted product quality and efficacy, while drastically increasing profit margins for the perpetrators.

Lack of Independent Verification & Lax Management

One of the individuals involved admitted to a lack of independent quality control measures. They stated, “bản thân tôi thì không biết được là cái sản phẩm nó không đạt chất lượng tại vì mình cũng thiếu cái khâu gọi là mình đi đi kiểm nghiệm độc lập của mình vì kiểm nghiệm thì nó cũng mất thời gian và thực sự là mất nhiều chi phí nên là cũng chưa làm được cái việc đấy.” (I didn’t know the product was substandard because I lacked the step of independent testing. Testing takes time and is actually costly, so I haven’t done it.) This was attributed to “dễ rãi trong phương pháp quản lý doanh nghiệp và cũng dễ rãi đối với những cái thỏa thuận của đối tác, dễ rãi đồng ý” (laxity in business management and easy agreement with partners), leading to compromised standards.

Manipulation of Test Results

The investigation uncovered evidence of deliberate manipulation of quality control data. When official testing revealed substandard product quality, the manufacturers “tự điều chỉnh scan lại cái kết quả kiểm nghiệm đó. sau đó là cung cấp cho người tiêu dùng cũng như đơn vị à bán sản phẩm để tiếp tục kinh doanh hàng giải.” (adjusted and rescanned the test results, then provided them to consumers and retailers to continue selling the counterfeit product). This demonstrates a calculated effort to deceive both consumers and distributors.

Victim Testimony & Delayed Medical Care

The fraudulent marketing of Fucodan led to significant harm for vulnerable individuals. One cancer patient recounted being misled by online advertisements featuring endorsements from individuals claiming to be professors and doctors. She stated, “Thấy ba trong đó có giáo sư Vượng này với lại hai th bác sĩ nữa nói quảng cáo rất là hay vì bác sĩ bảo là uống cái này nó ức chế tế bào ung thư nó không phát triển mà tự nó chết đi. Thế tôi nghe tôi tin tưởng quá tôi mua tôi uống bao nhiêu tháng nay tôi uống tôi bị lừa.” (I saw Professor Vuong and two doctors advertising it very well, saying that drinking this would inhibit cancer cell growth, preventing them from developing and causing them to die. I believed them, bought it, and have been drinking it for months, and I’ve been scammed.) She further explained that she delayed seeking conventional medical care, believing Fucodan would be sufficient: “Tôi nghĩ rằng uống cái này nó cải thiện được thì tôi không phải đi kiểm tra hay là không phải đi khám nữa đấy… cứ nghĩ cứ uống cái này xong rồi nó đỡ thì thôi chả chả đi khám.” (I thought that if I drank this, it would improve my condition, so I didn’t need to get checked or go to the doctor… I just thought if I drank this and it got better, I wouldn’t need to go to the doctor.)

Scale of the Operation & Legal Consequences

Over a three-year period, the perpetrators are estimated to have distributed approximately 200,000 boxes of the counterfeit Fucodan supplement. The Bac Ninh Provincial Police have initiated legal proceedings, indicting nine individuals on charges of producing and trading counterfeit food products and violating accounting regulations, resulting in severe consequences.

Conclusion

This case highlights the dangers of unregulated dietary supplements and the devastating consequences of fraudulent marketing practices targeting vulnerable populations. The deliberate substitution of ingredients, manipulation of test results, and exploitation of individuals battling serious illnesses underscore the critical need for stringent quality control, independent verification, and robust legal enforcement to protect consumers from harmful counterfeit products.