FDA warns public vs purchase of foods, medicine online

MANILA, Philippines - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday reiterated its warning against buying processed food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices online.

 In an advisory, the FDA said products being sold in social media platforms “such as 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” may be harmful to health.

“These products were obtained from unknown sources or have been illegally imported, posing doubts on their safety, efficacy, quality and purity. Some of these products, although registered, are misbranded if it carries therapeutic or clinical claims that are not approved by the FDA,” the advisory stated.

The FDA noted that under Republic Act 9711 or the FDA Act of 2009, “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.”

The FDA also requires that health products be registered or notified first with them before distribution in the market.

Medicine or over the counter or prescription drugs must be sold only to the consumers by FDA-licensed outlets, it added.