Refers to the decisions you make about the purchase and use of health information, products and services

that will have a direct

What is Consumer Health?

Health Information
These refer to the data and facts about health products and services you get from media and people including professionals and

Health Products These refer to substances, materials or equipment prepared or manufactured for you to buy and use on the maintenance of health and the treatment of diseases. Health Services These refer to health information, actions, procedure or work

 It is the process of assisting you to acquire the correct information and understanding so that you will be able to make a wise decision

Consumer Health Education

 Judge which products and services will be beneficial, harmful or useless. Know the local laws and regulations that protect consumers. Locate dependable medical, dental and nursing services. Apply the knowledge acquired in respect to personal and environmental health in the purchase of personal services and of goods.

Guidelines on the Purchase of Goods and Services

Reliable Sources of Health Information

Friends, neighbors or relatives Professionals such as the physician, scientists, and teacher. Educational institutions Media such as radio and televisions Print ads such as magazines,

Unreliable Sources of Health Information

Customs and superstitions Information based on ignorance and prejudice.

Appeal Technique to Lure Customers

Puffery - Making superlative claims for products and services 1. Bandwagon or everyone is using or buying the item; all people use it, rely on it. 2. Cost effective and worth for

3. Testimonials or endorsements by well-known people. 4. Novelty and mystical place. imported from a

5. Misleading comparison - germfree, relieves pain fast, contains twice as much. 6. Scientific evidence most doctors recommend it, clinical test, research

What is Quackery? a It is the dishonest actions of

quack. It is the purveying of health misinformation often in the form of secret remedies directed to persons who believe the quacks. It is practicing medicine by a dishonest person with little or no

Persons who pretend to have medical skills but in fact have none.

Who are Quacks?

Possible Effects of Medical Quackery

Taking a quack cure may delay or lose the chance to be healed. The person may experience the socalled placebo effect. Loss of money Giving false hopes to the sick person and the family. The actual damage done to the

Health Fads
Consumer myths may be classified as folk belief. These are beliefs on health that become popular quickly, stay on briefly, then die down eventually. 1.) Supplementary medicines like vitamins and minerals give extra strength and resistance to disease. 2.) Organic or natural foods that are

Possible Effects of Following Health Fads

It can lead a person to spend money on less important or unnecessary products. It can lead to wasteful spending on usually overpriced specialty products. It can lead a person to spend money on worthless forms of therapy. It can cause harm to the body.

Traditional Medicine

Traditional Healer The Herbalist The Traditional Birth Attendant

Importance of Traditional Medicine

It acts on behalf of qualified physicians in rural places. The pharmacopoeia of modern medicine rely on herbs, funguses, flowers, fruits, and roots in all the preparation of chemicals and compounds. Department of Health authorities in developing countries are carefully

 Being a wise consumer benefits you in four ways: 1.) You can promote and protect your health. 2.) You can save time and money. 3.) You can build your self-

Rights of the Consumers

Rights of the Consumer (Kennedy, Nixon and Ford) The right to safety problems corrected
The right to choose (redress) (choice) The right to The right to be consumer education informed (information) The right to basic The right to be needs heard The right to a Healthy

Legal Protection of Consumers

A. Government Agencies Responsibilities

1. Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) a. Enforces laws and regulations relating to food b. Handles consumer complaints c. Responsible on how food is advertised and labeled.

2. Department of Health (DOH) a. Inspects establishments that dispense food. b. Protects meat, milk products, cosmetics, and other consumer goods. c. Implements laws and regulations relating to drugs. 3. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) a. Implements laws on trade and

B. Consumers Responsibilities
1. Guard against wasteful spending on products. 2. Get information about the products or services to be purchased. 3. Report fraud and

 Critical Awareness Action Social Concern Environmental Awareness Solidarity

B. Consumers Responsibilities

C. Legal Protection of the Consumer

1. Republic Act No. 3720 The Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. - This law declared the policy of the country to ensure safe and good quality of food, drug and cosmetics and to regulate the production, sale and traffic of the same to protect the health of the people. This law also established the standard and quality of products and services. 2. Proclamation No. 822 The Philippines Consumer Protection Law. - This proclamation states that the protection of the

3. Republic Act No. 3140 - An act to penalize fraudulent advertising, mislabeling, or misbranding of any product.
4. Republic Act No. 428 -An act declaring the illegal possession, sale or distribution of fish or other aquatic animals, disabled or killed by means of dynamite or other explosive toxic substances and providing penalties thereof. 5. Executive Order No. 913 - Strengthens the rule-making and adjudicating

6. Presidential Decree No. 187 - Prescribes the use of the metric system of weights and measures as the standard measurement for all products, commodities, materials, utilities, and services in all business and legal transactions.
7. Act No. 3740 Amended by Commonwealth No. 46 - States that products, commodities of any kind or make, imported or locally manufactured shall be properly packed and

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7394 THE CONSUMER ACT OF THE PHILIPPINES

It is the policy of the State to protect the interests of the consumer, promote his general welfare and to establish standards of conduct for business and industry. Towards this end, the State shall implement measures to achieve the following objectives:
(a) protection against hazards to health and safety; (b) protection against deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales acts and practices; (c) provision of information and education to facilitate sound choice and the proper exercise of rights by the consumer;

(d) provision of adequate rights and means of redress; and