The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been asked to revoke registration numbers of 10 dietary supplement brands and severely penalise manufacturers who include life-threatening chemicals in their products.
As products become more complex, it is hard for consumers to gauge all of the ingredients used to make these products. According to a warning issued by the Foundation of Consumers yesterday, the agency warned the public "not to believe ads that indicate a product carries the FDA (registration) number".
The group lodged its petition with the FDA after a random check of weight loss and sexual enhancement pills sold via popular marketplaces revealed that many products are mixed with three dangerous chemicals -- Sibutramine, Sildenafil and Tadalafil.
“These substances are killers,” the foundation's secretary-general Saree Aongsomwang said, referring to frequent news reports of victims who have become seriously ill or even died after ingesting products with these ingredients.
She asked why such chemicals are still included as key ingredients in these pills even though they are prohibited or their use strictly controlled.
Last year, Sibutramine was also found in food products by the foundation.
In its latest inspection, the 10 brands in question could easily be found on well-known online retail stores.
Three of the 15 weight loss supplements samples sold by Lazada under the S-Line, Chaliew2 and Deli by NQ brands all contained Sibutramine.
The substance is primarily used to treat depression, however, it is also known to suppress appetite. The side-effects of Sibutramine range from high blood pressure, stroke, and other heart problems, the group's expert Sathaporn Arakwatana warned.
The FDA bans the import and export of products which make use of Sibutramine. Those who violate this law face up to 20 years in jail and/or face a maximum fine of two million baht.
The group also found two other harmful chemicals, Sildenafil and Tadalafil, in seven brands of sexual boosters -- Draco, Plays, Mo Cha, So Kool, OMG, Chu as well as Vitalmax and Vitality Reborn. They can be easily found on Shopee, Watsons, We Mall, and 411estore.
Sildenafil and Tadalafil are used to cure erectile dysfunction but have side effects like abrupt hypotension. The substances are specifically harmful to the elderly and patients with diseases such as diabetes, Ms Sathaporn said.