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 meeting 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” that appeared on stage is a key link in the private domain marketing industry. These “online video production companies” 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 “online video production company” packages and sells the products and programs to private domain marketing companies, which then use various methods to attract customers, guiding consumers to social platform private domain scenes to watch courses and promote products.

The medicines and health supplements chosen by these online video producers are purchased at very low costs, but are sold externally at very high prices.

Participant Mr. Jin: This bottle costs less than 20 yuan, I directly set the price to 1,198 yuan. After posting the link, someone immediately bought it.

Over the past year, the State Administration for Market Regulation has taken serious action against 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 produces online videos promoting a product called “Life Code.” In marketing materials sent by Manager Liu from DaHong International, the reporter saw clearly that the first batch of 20 episodes of this product’s video series had been completed, and the second batch, 15 episodes in, features an OTC drug called “Huoyuan Tai Ganlu Glycans 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 Glycans Peptide Oral Solution,” patients with various stubborn diseases can recover.

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

Indications: Used as an adjunct treatment for immune deficiency, recurrent respiratory infections, leukopenia, aplastic anemia, and tumors. It alleviates adverse reactions of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, as well as gastrointestinal reactions.

The indications listed for “Huoyuan Tai Ganlu Glycans Peptide Oral Solution” are seriously 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 Glycans Peptide Oral Solution,” but another product, “Ganlu Glycans 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. The conversation started with her mentioning the “3.15” Gala.

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

Manager 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, but honestly, 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 elderly to spend so much money on these products.

In the office, shelves display various health supplements and medicines. 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 revealed 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 expert” in the video.

Shengwei Cultural Media Zhong: Establish the authority figure (expert) well, and the public will trust 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; as long as the teacher can speak with emotion and clarity, that’s enough. 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” or “Master of Chinese Medicine” just actors with acting skills?

Shengwei Cultural Media Zhong: Not anymore. Now, because the government regulates strictly, we need teachers to actually have medical licenses.

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 Chinese Medicine,” “Society President,” or “Expert Committee Member” are almost all bought with money. To verify the truth, the reporter visited several other online video producers and planning companies, and the answers were surprisingly consistent.

Aoying Cultural Media Liu: Customers want authoritative teachers. Can real authoritative teachers 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 lecturers, but was told that due to the “3.15” Gala, recording work would only resume after the event.

Shua Ba Cultural Communication Manager Qin: Especially now, during this period, big clients control the trend and understand everything. After the “3.15” Gala, they will plan and shoot.

The reporter also contacted several so-called expert lecturers involved in recording online videos, posing as a producer, but all were highly cautious and refused recent meetings.

Despite all parties closely guarding against the “3.15” reporters, the reporter persisted and finally gained the trust of an “expert lecturer,” 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 “ocular authority” online?

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

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