A Facebook (FB) page has been advertising a bee venom cream that claims to relieve joint and bone pain. This is fake. Bee venom has not yet been proven as an effective treatment for joint pain, and the product is not registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
A reader sent a request to VERA Files’ Messenger Misinformation Tipline on May 24 to verify a post from the page Philippine Orthopedic Center 24h. The post, uploaded on March 12, but which continues to gain traction, promotes a product labeled Furzero Bee Venom Joint and Bone Pain Relief Cream. Part of the caption makes the following claims about the product:
“With the ability to regenerate stem cells, it helps heal damaged cartilage tissue.
No more pain or muscle stiffness
Increased joint fluid secretion helps increase mobility.
Prevent dangerous complications”
The post contains a video featuring John Anthony Dueñas, an internal medicine doctor, supposedly endorsing the product.
Research is mixed on the effects of bee venom treatment. The page running the ad is an impostor. The clip of Dueñas was edited with artificial intelligence (AI), and Dueñas himself has warned against fake endorsements using his name and likeness. Furzero Bee Venom Joint and Bone Pain Relief Cream is not registered with the FDA.
The Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC), a Quezon City-based government hospital specializing in the treatment for musculoskeletal disorders, warned against impostor pages in 2024. The impostor page was created on Feb. 11.
The post also carries a link to a POC impostor website which, in turn, leads to the defunct philippineorthopediccenter.store. A Whois search reveals that the domain was registered on Dec. 12, 2024 by an anonymous owner from Reykjavik, Iceland. The official POC website is poc.doh.gov.ph.
Dueñas told VERA Files via FB Messenger on May 27 that he does not endorse any kind of health supplement. In an April 9 statement, the Philippine Orthopaedic Association also advised the public to be cautious of fake ads using the name and likeness of its members such as Dueñas.
The clip of Dueñas in the ad is from a July 26, 2023 TikTok video where he discussed diabetes-related health complications. The video was manipulated with AI to have Dueñas say something else.
Bee venom is not yet proven to be safe and effective treatment for bone and joint pain. Though bee venom contains natural substances and has neutralized inflammation in initial studies, it can also cause allergic reactions, heart and respiratory problems and death.
The post has so far garnered over 108,000 reactions, 8,500 comments, 9,300 shares and 18 million views. It was re-shared by several users over the past week.
