FACT CHECK: Fake page posts arthritis ‘cure’ ad with manipulated video of Filipino doctor
Claim: The Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) posted an advertisement featuring Filipino doctor Rosalyn Flores promoting “Bee Venom Advanced Joint and Bone Care Cream” as a cure for osteoarthritis.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: A Facebook page claiming to be the POC posted the video advertisement on February 24. As of writing, the video has garnered 724,000 views, 3,000 reactions, 398 comments, and 203 shares.
In the video, Flores is shown saying that the POC developed the supposed medicine, enabling patients with gout and joint pain to save money.
She further alleges that the product is used at the POC, is approved by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and has treated over 500,000 patients as of January 2025.
The ad promises effective results within two to three weeks of daily ointment application. There is a supposed P10,000 payout from the hospital if the product is ineffective within two weeks.
The facts: The video is fake. It used a video of Flores and manipulated both the audio and mouth movements to make it seem that she was endorsing the supposed joint pain cure.
The original video, which was posted on the TikTok account of user “docpaquickie” in 2023, shows Flores discussing the safety of cracking necks and knuckles, not the promotion of a product.
In a post on her official Facebook page in November 2024, Flores warned the public about similar claims using her name and image, stating that she does not endorse or sell the supposed anti-arthritis product.
Fake page: The fake Facebook page, created on February 11, 2025, merely copied content from the official POC page.
POC is a government medical facility under the DOH that provides health care to patients with musculoskeletal disorders and related conditions. Its official Facebook page was created on July 3, 2022.
The fake POC page has only 80 likes and 106 followers, while the official page has 10,000 likes and 12,000 followers.
On January 6, 2025, POC issued a clarification regarding similar false claims, saying that it does not endorse any medical products. The center also warned the public not to believe claims from fake accounts and websites.
Not FDA registered: Bee Venom Advanced Joint and Bone Care Cream is not included on the Philippine FDA’s list of registered products, contrary to the claim.
Debunked: Rappler has previously fact-checked several false claims involving “Bee Venom” products and manipulated content:
- FACT CHECK: Ad of Filipino doctor pushing cure for bone and joint pain uses deepfake
- FACT CHECK: Arthritis ‘cure’ ad uses deepfake video of Filipino doctor
- FACT CHECK: Fake Philippine General Hospital page promotes arthritis ‘cure’
- FACT CHECK: Ad for joint pain ‘cure’ uses AI-edited video of Filipino doctor
– Lyndee Buenagua/Rappler.com
Lyndee Buenagua is a third year student journalist based in Baguio and an alumna of Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024.
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