3·15 Evening Gala | "Medical Expert" Turns Out to Be an Actor! "Private Domain Marketing" Yields 5 Times Profit by Targeting Seniors

In late January 2026, a private domain marketing industry internal exchange conference was held in a certain city in Central China, with over a hundred related companies participating. Through an industry insider’s introduction, a reporter smoothly entered the venue. During the event, many company representatives took the stage to speak and seek partners.

At the scene, the reporter learned that the so-called “online video production company” on stage is a key link in the private domain marketing industry. These “online video producers” select products from pharmaceutical or health supplement companies, then produce a series of videos such as health lectures based on the purchased medicines or supplements, ranging from four or five episodes to hundreds. After production, the “video producers” bundle the products and programs and sell them to private domain marketing companies, which then use various methods to attract customers, guiding consumers to social platform private scenes to watch courses and promote products.

The medicines and health supplements chosen by these video producers are very inexpensive to purchase, but are sold at very high prices externally.

Participant, Mr. Jin: This bottle costs less than 20 yuan, but I set the price at 1,198 yuan. After adding the link, someone just bought it.

Over the past year, the State Administration for Market Regulation has seriously cracked down on scams targeting the elderly in the private domain sector. To understand the latest developments in private domain marketing, the reporter contacted a company called “DaHong International,” which currently promotes a video called “Life Code.” In marketing materials sent by Manager Liu from DaHong International, the reporter clearly saw that the first round of 20 episodes of this product’s video series had been completed, and the second round, episode 15, was now being promoted. The main product is an OTC medicine called “Huoyuan Tai Ganlu Polysaccharide Peptide Oral Solution,” priced at 298 yuan per box, with a 90ml specification.

The materials describe “Life Code” as a course based on the “21st-century first therapy—cell regeneration therapy.” It claims that by taking “Huoyuan Tai Ganlu Polysaccharide Peptide Oral Solution,” patients with various stubborn diseases can recover.

Diseases like cataracts, hypertension, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke—difficult conditions that modern medicine still struggles to treat—are claimed in the “Life Code” videos to be easily cured by taking “Huoyuan Tai.” Is this medicine really so miraculous? A search on the internet revealed shocking information about the indications of “Huoyuan Tai Ganlu Polysaccharide Peptide Oral Solution.”

Indications: Used as an adjunct treatment for immune deficiency, recurrent respiratory infections, leukopenia, aplastic anemia, and tumors. It alleviates adverse effects on hematopoietic systems and gastrointestinal reactions caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

The indications listed for “Huoyuan Tai Ganlu Polysaccharide Peptide Oral Solution” are severely inconsistent with the exaggerated claims in the “Life Code” videos. How much is this product really worth? Further searches found no market price for the 90ml specification of “Huoyuan Tai Ganlu Polysaccharide Peptide Oral Solution,” but another product, “Ganlu Polysaccharide Peptide Oral Solution (An Jia An),” with the same manufacturer, approval number, and drug code in a 100ml size, is priced at only 68 yuan.

A common auxiliary treatment drug is being falsely promoted with exaggerated or altered effects and sold at nearly five times the market price. To uncover the secret behind this, the reporter visited DaHong International’s office, where Manager Liu was the receptionist. At the start of the conversation, Liu surprisingly mentioned the “3.15 Gala.”

DaHong International, “Life Code” Video Producer, Manager Liu: If you want to do it, wait until after the “3.15” evening show. We don’t know what will happen or what the situation will be this year. The “3.15” Gala is a barometer, and our private domain channels are in a gray area.

Liu emphasized that, as a producer of false courses and high-priced drug scams targeting the elderly, they need to keep a low profile during this period to avoid attracting the attention of the “3.15” Gala.

DaHong International, “Life Code” Video Producer, Manager Liu: Recently, everyone is worried whether the “3.15” Gala will expose our private groups. Actually, our industry can’t withstand scrutiny.

Facing the upcoming “3.15” Gala, Liu explained her business strategy, advising against launching online videos now. Besides the “3.15” period, the Spring Festival is also an unsuitable time for private domain marketing.

DaHong International, “Life Code” Video Producer, Manager Liu: If you want to act, wait until after the “3.15” Gala, because you need to hit certain time points. During the Spring Festival, children are at home, and no one allows their elders to spend so much money on these products.

On a shelf in the office, various health supplements and medicines are displayed. Liu explained that these are products previously promoted in their online videos. To sell these ordinary products as “miracle drugs,” they put in a lot of effort.

Liu said that behind every scam targeting elderly consumers in online videos, there is a professional planning company that customizes “scam scripts” for the producers. To fully expose the entire private domain marketing scam, the reporter was introduced to Shengwei Cultural Media Co., Ltd., located in a northeastern city. Company head Zhang explained how they plan a typical private domain video sales process.

Zhong, from Shengwei, told the reporter that the most critical factor determining whether a video can sell products online is the “medical experts” featured in the videos.

Shengwei Cultural Media, Zhong: Establish the authority of the “doctor” (expert), so that the public trusts them. Once they trust the expert, they’ll follow whatever they sell.

Since experts are so crucial, what kind of people can become the main speakers in these online videos?

Shengwei Cultural Media, Zhong: The two most important words are “actor.” We write the script, and the teacher just delivers it. The professionalism is given by the script; the teacher just needs to speak with emotion and clarity. They don’t need to be real medical professionals—just good at acting.

Can identities be assigned arbitrarily? No doctors, just actors? No medical knowledge, only reading scripts? Are all those experts with titles like “Disciples of Traditional Chinese Medicine,” “Master of Chinese Medicine,” or “Expert Committee Member” just actors with acting skills?

Shengwei Cultural Media, Zhong: Not anymore. Now, because the government regulates strictly, they need to have a doctor’s license.

Zhong admitted that in the past, most “experts” in their videos were fake. Now, with tighter regulation, they seek medical professionals with valid practicing doctor or pharmacist licenses, but these titles are still fabricated and packaged by the company.

Zhong explained that titles like “Disciples of Traditional Chinese Medicine,” “Society President,” or “Expert Committee Member” are almost all just props bought with money. To verify the truth, the reporter visited several other video production and planning companies, receiving surprisingly consistent answers.

Aoying Cultural Media, Liu: Customers want authoritative teachers. Can real authorities do this? It’s all fake, all scams.

Given how brazen these producers are in packaging fake “experts,” do the medical personnel pushed to the front know about these scams? The reporter wanted to see the recording process and meet the instructors, but was told that due to the “3.15” Gala, recordings would only resume after the event.

Shua Ba Cultural Communication, Manager Qin: Especially now, most are big clients who understand the trends. After the “3.15” Gala, they will plan and shoot.

Using the identity of a network video producer, the reporter contacted several so-called expert instructors involved in recording videos. All were highly cautious and refused recent meetings.

Despite strict precautions against the “3.15” reporters, the reporter persisted and finally gained the trust of an “expert instructor,” Ding Yuqiu, who agreed to meet.

Although in the videos, ophthalmologist Ding Yuqiu speaks convincingly, a search revealed that Ding holds a medical license for internal medicine, not ophthalmology. Why can an internist suddenly appear as an “eye expert” online?

Online Video Instructor Ding Yuqiu: First, you need a medical license. Second, you need to speak well. Don’t worry about the “title”—you can buy it. Pay the annual fee, join an association, and get a vice president position—that’s easy.

The reporter then checked the “Chinese Medical Doctor Association” on the Ministry of Civil Affairs’ “China Social Organization Government Service Platform” and found no registration or record. Consumers who don’t search online wouldn’t know that the so-called “Chinese Medical Doctor Association” Ding mentioned is a non-existent organization.