Quackbase!
A database that tracks dubious medical claims.
Claim number: 11
Claimant: Zeblon Gwala
Claim date: Dec. 6, 2007
Brand name: Ubhejane
Forum in which the claim was made: Advert in Ilanga Newspaper
Claim methodology: Herbal drink
Frequency with which the claim is made by this claimant: Frequent
Actual claim: Cures AIDS
Plausibility of this claim: Untested and implausible
Summary
Zeblon Gwala advertised Ubhejane as an AIDS cure
Responses
- Response no 18: Treatment Action Campaign Complaint to Department of Health's Law Enforcement Unit on 2008-04-11
- Response no 17: ASASA Ruling on 2008-04-04
- Response no 19: Treatment Action Campaign Complaint to ASASA on 2008-04-04
Documents relevant to this claim
Description
Gwala sold Ubhejane for years from a facility in Pinetown near Durban. The product was sold as a treatment or cure for HIV, but was never tested or registered by the Medicines Control Council.
The Department of Health, under former Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, issued two statements in support of Mr. Gwala in February 2006.
TAC lodged a complaint to ASASA in response to an advertisement published in Ilanga newspaper, which advertised Ubhejane as a treatment for AIDS. The complaint was upheld. TAC also launched an official complaint to The Department of Health's Law Enforcement Unit in April 2008, but no action was taken.
See ASASA Ruling at: http://www.asasa.org.za/ResultDetail.aspx?Ruling=4115
On 22 June 2010 it was incorrectly reported in Business Report that Ubhejane was registered with the Medicines Control Council (MCC). Ubhejane has not been registered as a medicine in South Africa. In response, TAC called on The Law Enforcement Unit of the Department of Health to immediately investigate the assertion made by Mr Zeblon Gwala that Ubhejane has been registered.