Senator wants state to outlaw bogus medical ads

Sen. Subhas Ramkhelawan

Independent senator Subhas Ramkhelawan called on the government Tuesday to take action to end what he called "a cancer of misinformation" coming from people who advertise miracle medical cures.

The senator was speaking during debate on a bill to amend the Regional Health Authority Act.

Ramkhelawan said conmen are using radio and television advertising to market what they say are miraculous cures.

“This cannot be allowed to continue,” he insisted. Some of the ads claim that the practitioners have miracle cures for diabetes, cancer and hypertension. “That is something that we have to cure,” Ramkhelawan declared. "This thing is actually becoming a cancer in this society, a cancer of misinformation.”

Ramkhelawan said people are falling prey. “Here we are, conmen getting rich off the poor, destitute, gullible, and nothing is being done about it,” he insisted.

He suggested that legislation to outlaw such advertising should be brought to the Parliament to deal with the problem. He suggested that such a bill would get unanimous support.