Products "miracle", without scientific evidence

• April 27, 2024

In order for an innovative chemical substance to be used to develop new medicines, a pharmaceutical company needs to spend between 500 and one billion dollars per project. The process is long, involving clinical research, preclinical and toxicological tests. On the other hand, "miracle" products do not have scientific evidence to guarantee their effectiveness.

The elixir of eternal youth, gels that reduce the hated "lonjitas", "natural" pills against thousands of sufferings, sexual enhancers, bracelets that "balance" the energy and other miracle products that offer extraordinary results in a short time, can put in risk the lives of people.

In contrast to these miracle products, pharmaceutical companies have been dominating the concept of "evidence-based medicine" for more than 50 years: drugs that have undergone experimental tests that prove their effectiveness, but since 1985 the emergence of innovative medicines has been halted , that is, active substances that prevent, alleviate or improve some disease.

Rodolfo Rodríguez Carranza, from the Department of Pharmacology of the Faculty of Medicine (FM) of the UNAM, He explained that for a pharmaceutical company to undertake the discovery of a new, innovative and non-harmful molecule can take up to 12 years and cost between 500 and one billion dollars.

"Pharmacological research goes through three stages: clinical research, preclinical and toxicology studies. During the clinic synthesis of chemical structures is made. Of the 10 thousand molecules that we study through the processes of preclinical pharmacology, very few molecules go into clinical trials: only one or two molecules are authorized for use in humans. "

Preclinical pharmacology involves a huge amount of studies ranging from detecting which molecule attacks a certain disease, to making comparative trials with reference drugs, knowing the biological effects of the product and doing pharmacokinetic studies (study of the effect it has on the body since it is ingested until its total elimination), he commented.

Rodríguez Carranza, head of the Medicines Development Laboratory of the FM, added that the toxicology studies analyze the side effects.

Once the results surpassed all the tests, they are shown to the sanitary authorities to be analyzed and ruled by experts. If the substance shows a useful effect in the therapy and does not harm, its test is authorized in humans. When this stage is reached, it is on the other side, "he said.

For its part, the "miracle" products do not depend on any study equivalent to drugs, nor do they have evidence of efficacy or safety, the specialist warned.

The "miracle" products are characterized by enhancing in their advertising therapeutic qualities, preventive, rehabilitating or healing, ranging from aesthetic issues to the solution to serious health problems. They are made with plants or substances of natural or synthetic origin. They come in pills, solutions, gels, creams, patches, soaps, ampoules, and so on.

The main problem arises when they are ingested, because when combined with patented medicines, they can cause disorders, hide symptoms and diseases, warned Lucio Lastra Marín, responsible for Sanitary Operation of the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris).

In advertising there are no warnings from health authorities that say contraindications to their use, and the packaging does not have a warning label of its use or the risks of consumption. They advertise themselves as 100% natural or innovative, but are they really? The worst thing is that doctors with a professional license recommend them, he said.

It's hard not to fall into the temptation of owning a sculptural body with the promise of taking two pills a day, or just pushing a button that will do it all, but let's face it, those sudden changes do not exist, the best way to improve our health is with a balanced diet and the practice of some physical activity, stressed Lastra Marín.

"If you have an illness, go to the doctor. We like easy remedies and miracles, and more if it's about appearance, but what happens when our health is in danger? Do not get carried away by deceptive advertising, as the saying goes: the cheap, it's expensive, "he concluded.