Don’t trust miracle drugs sold online, Ministry warns
Dubai – The Ministry of Health warned the public about the sale of ‘miracle drugs’ through social media channels, saying these unknown pills, which are being marketed as weight-loss, bodybuilding or libido enhancing pills are in fact very dangerous as they contain unregulated ingredients.
Dr Ameen Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Practice and License Sector in UAE Ministry of Health, said the ministry is keeping a watchful eye on those selling and promoting these hazardous pills online.
He warned the public against being misguided and misinformed about medicines they were being coaxed into buying online.
“Traders of such unregulated medicines have found the perfect platform to reach unwary persons in social media,” he said. “These medicines claim they can induce their desired effect, such as weight loss, in an extraordinarily short time. However, as the chemicals in these substances are unregulated, they have been known to cause adverse reactions, sometimes in life-threatening ways.”
Al Amiri also warned the public about seeking medical advice through social media.
“Seeking medical consultations through social media or being directed to taking certain medications promoted by an unknown party can pose an extreme risk to your health, especially since they have not been licensed or verified by the Ministry of Health,” he said. “Medications must go through a procedure where they are tested by our labs before they are licensed. Unlicensed medication is the first overt sign that these pills are dangerous.”
Al Amiri said they have fined a number of people who have been found to market unregulated and unlicensed medications through social media. “Almost 719 fines were issued against parties that were found to be marketing unregulated drugs, such as diet pills, in the UAE,” he said. “We also issued 121 fines to those who were promoting such drugs through social media channels, such as Instagram.” – Gulf News
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