HSA joins Interpol in global clampdown: 959 illegal health products delisted in Singapore, 152 sellers warned

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) removed 959 online listings of illegal health products and warned 152 sellers in a joint operation led by Interpol from March 10 to 23.

Eighty-nine other countries joined the clampdown, dubbed Operation Pangea, which targeted products such as unregistered medicines and medical devices and as well as pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment.

HSA said on Thursday (May 7) that over 82 per cent of the listings taken down in Singapore were selling unregistered contact lenses that have not been certified to have met the required safety, performance and quality standards.

Other illegal listings were selling products such as prescription-only skin creams for acne and eczema, sexual enhancement medicines, nasal aspirators and nasal sprays, and oxygen concentrators.

At Singapore's checkpoints, 6,641 units of illegal health products were seized, with most items brought in through international mail.

Prescription medicines such as painkillers or sedatives made up 36 per cent of the confiscated products, with anti-parasitic medicines such as ivermectin coming second at 30 per cent.

The agency said ivermectin is a prescription-only medicine which is registered in Singapore for treating parasitic worm infections, and that it is not an anti-viral medicine.

It has also stopped members of the public who tried to import or use ivermectin for self-medication.

Locally, patients have reportedly been hospitalised after self-medicating with ivermectin, HSA added.

Other serious side-effects include sudden drop in blood pressure, severe skin rash potentially requiring hospitalisation, and liver injury. 

Ivermectin can also interact with other medications such as blood-thinners.

Dermal fillers among products seized

During the operation, authorities also seized 110 boxes containing pre-filled syringes of dermal fillers, which "could have caused serious harm" if not intercepted.

These fillers are typically injected into skin to to plump or smoothen an area.

Investigations into the illegal import of dermal fillers are ongoing.

HSA said dermal fillers must only be administered by registered healthcare professionals under strict conditions, and those sold online may not be manufactured under proper conditions or may contain unknown, unverified and potentially harmful ingredients.

Self-administering such fillers carries risks of exposure to toxic chemicals and infectious organisms when injected, and they can cause scarring and asymmetric appearance if done inappropriately.

Members of the public should be cautious about "too good to be true" product prices or health claims.

"We urge the general public, healthcare professionals and the industry to continue to alert us to illegal health products, so that we can take enforcement actions against them," said HSA's CEO Adjunct Professor Raymond Chua.

For importing, manufacturing and/or supplying illegal health products, offenders can be jailed for up to three years and/or fined up to $100,000.

The public can report any activity involving illegal health products by calling HSA at 6866-3485 or emailing hsa_is@hsa.gov.sg.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com