Readers demand action against 'online doctors' spreading unverified health cures

Readers are calling for strict penalties against "online doctors" and "internet miracle healers" who disseminate unverified claims about curing various ailments. The primary concern is not just the promotion of folk remedies like lemon and salt water, but the dangerous exaggeration of their efficacy to the point of claiming they can cure all diseases.

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The result is blood pressure from 140/80, after a few months it increased to 156/90. However, my friend still insisted on not taking medication and continued with the method of lemon and salt water in the morning. Then they even advised that anyone with diabetes should drink a glass of sugarcane juice every day to replenish sugar for the cells.

This misinformation can lead individuals to reject or delay scientifically-backed medical treatments, with potentially severe consequences. One reader shared an experience where a friend's high blood pressure escalated from 140/80 to 156/90 after relying on a lemon and salt water regimen, refusing medication. The friend also advised others with diabetes to drink sugarcane juice daily to "replenish sugar for cells."

Another reader noted that such information often starts with simple, light-hearted shares but escalates to include poorly researched, unsubstantiated knowledge, posing a significant danger. This reader expressed frustration, stating their own family had been a victim of such practices. The prevalence of these "online doctors" is alarming, with various "schools of thought" emerging, including those claiming expertise in Western, Eastern, and traditional medicine, as well as yoga and physical therapy.

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This is extremely dangerous and needs to be strictly punished. My family also had a victim of this.

Experts and readers alike caution that chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and musculoskeletal issues are difficult to cure completely. They strongly advise patients with diabetes and hypertension to adhere to their prescribed medications and not trust unproven therapies, which can lead to financial loss, worsening health, or even death. Personal experiences with diet, exercise, or folk remedies should only be shared within family or close circles, not presented as universal cures on social media without scientific evidence. Spreading unproven claims should be treated as disseminating false information and handled accordingly.

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I see that 'online doctors' mainly target chronic diseases. Truly, diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, musculoskeletal issues, or mental and neurological, digestive problems... are very difficult to cure completely, and sometimes impossible due to the disease mechanism, age, degeneration... Especially those with both diabetes and high blood pressure should accept and feel secure taking medication as directed by their doctor regularly, do not believe any other treatment method and abandon medication, only to lose money and suffer, or even... lose your life.