Singapore: HSA seizes over 970,000 units of illegal health products and removes more than 7,000 illegal product listings online in 2024

27 Feb 2025    2 minute read
Sectors Healthcare & Life Sciences

In brief

On 3 February 2025, the Health Science Authority (HSA) announced that it had seized over 970,000 units of illegal health products and removed over 7,000 listings of illegal health products from local e-commerce and social media platforms in 2024. This was achieved through targeted operations, intelligence sharing, and joint enforcement efforts with local and overseas agencies.

The types of products include those marketed for aesthetic enhancement of skin and hair, including dermal fillers, Botulinum toxin, skin whiteners, acne treatment and hair loss treatment products. Contact lenses and other products are also included. 

Contents

In depth

In 2024, the HSA collaborated with various partners to remove illegal health products from the market.

In May that year, the HSA and the Singapore Police Force conducted an operation targeting the illegal manufacture and supply of cough syrups in a condominium unit in Geylang. Approximately 165 liters of cough syrups and more than 57,000 units of assorted medicines, which were intended for illegal supply in Singapore, were seized.

The HSA also worked closely with the administrators of local e-commerce and social media platforms to take down more than 7,000 listings of illegal health products.

The types of products include those marketed for aesthetic enhancement of skin and hair, such as dermal fillers, Botulinum toxin, skin whiteners, acne treatment and hair loss treatment products. Also included are contact lenses; products for managing chronic conditions such as cholesterol, hypertension, allergies and pain relief; contraceptives; sexual enhancement products; weight loss products; and antibiotics.

These illegal health products range from counterfeit items to those containing potent ingredients and/or banned substances.

Following the takedowns, the HSA also prosecuted 30 persons for the sale and supply of illegal health products, with one offender being sentenced to imprisonment for 31 weeks.

Key takeaways

Sellers and suppliers of health products should note that anyone who supplies in Singapore 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 addition to HSA enforcement, genuine health product owners can also consider taking action against sellers of illegal health products. Illegal health products can encompass a broad range of items, including genuine products sold via illegal means (e.g., without prescription), counterfeit products, and grey goods/parallel imports. Depending on the circumstances, regulatory and/or IP laws may be engaged. 

* * * * *

LOGO_Wong&Leow_Singapore

© 2025 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.

Contact Information
Andy Leck
Principal
Singapore/Yangon
Read my Bio
andy.leck@bakermckenzie.com
Ren Jun Lim
Principal
Singapore
Read my Bio
ren.jun.lim@bakermckenzie.com

Copyright © 2025 Baker & McKenzie. All rights reserved. Ownership: This documentation and content (Content) is a proprietary resource owned exclusively by Baker McKenzie (meaning Baker & McKenzie International and its member firms). The Content is protected under international copyright conventions. Use of this Content does not of itself create a contractual relationship, nor any attorney/client relationship, between Baker McKenzie and any person. Non-reliance and exclusion: All Content is for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal and regulatory developments. All summaries of the laws, regulations and practice are subject to change. The Content is not offered as legal or professional advice for any specific matter. It is not intended to be a substitute for reference to (and compliance with) the detailed provisions of applicable laws, rules, regulations or forms. Legal advice should always be sought before taking any action or refraining from taking any action based on any Content. Baker McKenzie and the editors and the contributing authors do not guarantee the accuracy of the Content and expressly disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or permitted to be done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance upon the whole or any part of the Content. The Content may contain links to external websites and external websites may link to the Content. Baker McKenzie is not responsible for the content or operation of any such external sites and disclaims all liability, howsoever occurring, in respect of the content or operation of any such external websites. Attorney Advertising: This Content may qualify as “Attorney Advertising” requiring notice in some jurisdictions. To the extent that this Content may qualify as Attorney Advertising, PRIOR RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE A SIMILAR OUTCOME. Reproduction: Reproduction of reasonable portions of the Content is permitted provided that (i) such reproductions are made available free of charge and for non-commercial purposes, (ii) such reproductions are properly attributed to Baker McKenzie, (iii) the portion of the Content being reproduced is not altered or made available in a manner that modifies the Content or presents the Content being reproduced in a false light and (iv) notice is made to the disclaimers included on the Content. The permission to re-copy does not allow for incorporation of any substantial portion of the Content in any work or publication, whether in hard copy, electronic or any other form or for commercial purposes.