These 3 products pose serious health risks, HSA warns

SINGAPORE - The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has warned people not to buy or consume three products that are sold online, two of which had been banned before but resurfaced recently with new packaging.

The dangerous products are powdered drinks Coco Curv, ChocoFit and candy Hamer Candy, it said on Thursday (Aug 6).

Both Coco Curv and ChocoFit contain sibutramine, a prescription drug to aid weight loss that was banned in Singapore in 2010 for increasing heart attack and stroke risks.

The third is Hamer Candy, which contains nortadalafil, a substance chemically related to tadalafil, a prescription erectile dysfunction drug.

Inappropriate use of tadalafil will raise a person's risk of getting a stroke, heart attack, low blood pressure and painful and exceedingly long erections.

The three products were sold on local e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Qoo10, as well as social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

The HSA said it has issued warnings to the sellers and suppliers to stop selling them. It has also directed the respective website administrators to take down the affected listings.

Its analysis of the products found that contrary to the listing of ingredients on the packaging, the products contained potent ingredients that may pose serious health risks to consumers.

The HSA said it had warned people about Hamer Candy in November 2018 and Choco Fit in June 2019, and the previous postings of these products had been removed.

But both made a comeback recently in new packaging, a common tactic used by unscrupulous manufacturers to evade detection and entice consumers, said the HSA.

A Qoo10 spokesman said on Thursday that it removed a Coco Curv listing on its site within three hours of being informed by the HSA on April 6. No sales were made prior to its removal, he added.

Qoo10 does weekly checks for banned items too, the spokesman said.

New sellers on its platform also have to submit documents for identification before they are allowed to join, while every new item for sale is vetted and approved by the company before it is listed on the online marketplace.

The HSA said it is illegal to sell and supply adulterated products containing banned substances or potent chemical ingredients. Those convicted face a maximum fine of $10,000, jail of up to two years, or both.

People with information on the sale and supply of these illegal products may contact the HSA on 6866-3485 during office hours on weekdays, or e-mail  hsa_is@hsa.gov.sg.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.