TIRUCHY: The recent death of a 19-year-old woman in Madurai, allegedly linked to an online weight loss remedy has renewed concerns about social media platforms emerging as a source for misleading medical claims by self-styled practitioners. The incident highlights the challenges social media poses to health department and the need for a state-level monitoring committee to regulate digital health advertisements and crack down on unverified medical influencers.
Health officials say social media has become an unregulated marketplace where individuals claiming to be practitioners promote pseudo medicines for ailments ranging from obesity and diabetes to kidney failure and sexual disorders. "Tracking these digital advertisements and identifying those behind them has become increasingly difficult," an official involved in pharmacovigilance said. Between October 2019 and September 2025, authorities in Tiruchy initiated action against 86 misleading online advertisements under provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954, which prohibits claims of cures for serious diseases.
Officials noted that while State Licensing Authorities monitor advertisements and quackery complaints are addressed under the Clinical Establishments Act, digital platforms allow misleading content to spread faster than enforcement mechanisms can respond. On its part, the Indian medicine department in Tiruchy has been distributing pamphlets and awareness materials in hospitals, community centres and public spaces, urging people not to consume medicines or home remedies without professional advice. The department is also conducting outreach programmes to educate the public about the need to report adverse reactions and misleading advertisements.
Dr Sabari, a Siddha doctor, cautioned against self-medication based on online videos. "People must not consume anything without consulting a qualified doctor. Even traditional medicines can cause serious harm if taken wrongly or promoted without scientific backing," he said. Public health experts stressed that coordinated digital monitoring, faster takedowns of misleading content and stronger consumer awareness are essential to prevent further tragedies, warning that vulnerable patients seeking quick solutions are often the primary targets of such online claims.