FDA cautions Filipinos on FMCG, drugs sold online

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned Filipinos against buying processed food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices sold or advertised through e-commerce sites and social media,In an advisory, the FDA said that such platforms include “but not limited to sulit.com.ph (now OLX.com), lazada.com.ph, ayosdito.com, cashcash pinoy.com, eBay and other networking and multi-level marketing schemes.”The agency explained that these products were obtained from unknown sources or may have been illegally imported, posing doubts on their safety and quality. Some of these products, although registered, can also be misbranded if it carries therapeutic or clinical claims that are not approved by the FDA.“Considering that the above-mentioned social media platforms are not licensed by the FDA to sell health products, specially drug products, the public is hereby warned not to purchase health products through the above-mentioned social media platform,” the FDA adds.The Republic Act 9711 or the FDA Act of 2009 states that “the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising or sponsorship of any health product that is adulterated, unregistered or misbranded is strictly prohibited.”