Published: Thursday October 8, 2009 MYT 9:14:00 AM
Updated: Thursday October 8, 2009 MYT 10:02:18 AM

Come down hard on LBA scammers: Consumer bodies

By IZATUN SHARI

PETALING JAYA: Consumer associations have urged the relevant enforcement agencies to come down hard on bogus alternative medicine practitioners, doctors and sinseh (traditional medicine practitioners) offering unproven therapy and treatments.

The associations also called on the Government to govern alternative traditional and faith healers by establishing a professional body to control them.

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations secretary-general Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah said that if no action were taken against these unscrupulous people, more would use similar tactics to cheat consumers.

“Weaknesses in enforcement breeds of this kind of practice,” he said in response to Monday’s Starprobe report on LBA (Live Blood Analysis) scams.

LBA, also called nutritional blood analysis or live cell analysis, is a test where practitioners claim they can diagnose a host of illnesses including vitamin deficiencies, infections and even cancer, by observing abnormalities in a drop of blood.

They then proceed to convince customers to buy nutritional supplements or undergo costly alternative therapies.

Such tests are currently available in the Klang Valley and in several other states, including Malacca, Terengganu and Sarawak.

Muhammad Sha’ani said action should be taken against marketeers who did not comply with advertisement regulations by publicly displaying posters and promotional materials which have not been approved by the authorities.

He said bogus traditional medicine practitioners were also taking advantage of paid advertorials to promote their illegal practices.

He proposed that an additional regulation be introduced for print and electronic media to require those who want to advertise such practices to attach a document or certification from a relevant authoritative body.

Muhammad Shaa’ni said there should be an effective professional body to register and supervise alternative medicine practitioners.

He also cautioned consumers not to be easily tricked by those who make claims about the test as diagnosing diseases involved a lot of processes before the treatment and cure can be determined.

Malaysian Muslim Consumers’ Association secretary-general Datuk Dr Maamor Osman, who concurred with Muhammad Sha’ani, suggested that a legislative act be formulated and enforced to govern these people, and called on the Government to seriously consider forming a council to ensure that they were properly registered.

“The lawyers have the Malaysian Bar Council, evidence-based medical doctors have the Malaysian Medical Council -- similarly, traditional healers or those offering complementary therapies should have their own council,” said Dr Maamor, who has been a general practitioner since 1987.

“My advice to the people is not to bet their luck on unprofessional practitioners,” he added.