Key takeaways
- Sellers and suppliers of health products should note that anyone who supplies in Singapore prescription medicines and medical devices, or health products that are adulterated, counterfeit or tampered with, may face a fine of up to SGD 100,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.
In more detail
On 30 January 2024, the HSA announced it had seized over 1.12 million units of illegal health products and removed over 12,000 listings of illegal health products from local e-commerce and social media platforms in 2023 through targeted operations, intelligence sharing and joint enforcement efforts with local and overseas agencies. This was a 50% increase from the number of illegal health products seized in 2022.
The 50% increase in products seized was due to heightened surveillance and enforcement, including a major operation conducted with the Singapore Police Force in June 2023 to clamp down on a suspected illegal codeine syndicate.
The HSA also worked closely with local social media platform administrators to promptly remove product listings of illegal health products. Based on the removed listings, approximately 48% of the sellers were based in Singapore.
The HSA highlighted the serious adverse effects caused by the consumption of illegal health products. Consumers are advised to be wary before buying or consuming a health product. The HSA has advised consumers to follow the A-B-C-D steps before buying or taking a health product:
- Avoid making purchases from suspicious or unfamiliar sources
- Beware of deals that sound too attractive
- Check the claims and products
- Discuss with doctors or pharmacists on the suitability of a product if unsure
The full HSA announcement may be found here.
* * * * *
© 2024 Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow. All rights reserved. Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow is incorporated with limited liability and is a member firm of Baker & McKenzie International, a global law firm with member law firms around the world. In accordance with the common terminology used in professional service organizations, reference to a "principal" means a person who is a partner, or equivalent, in such a law firm. Similarly, reference to an "office" means an office of any such law firm. This may qualify as "Attorney Advertising" requiring notice in some jurisdictions. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
