Senators flag sale of unregulated supplements, health products

Senators on Monday, 15 December, flagged the sale of unregulated supplements and health products despite advisories by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Senator Raffy Tulfo criticized the FDA for failing to do its part to prevent the proliferation of unregistered products that pose health risks to the public.

"Why are they still issuing health advisory warnings if there's no effort on their part to implement these advisories?" Tulfo said in Filipino.

"If the FDA is really serious, they can assign people to monitor these cases by simply calling major drugstores, shops, and online marketplaces to check if they are still selling banned products," he added.

The lawmaker also suggested that the agency utilize artificial intelligence and develop a program that would make their jobs easier.

Tulfo also called for FDA Director-General Pablo Teston to resign "if by next hearing these banned products are still being sold in the market.:

"He should resign from his post because the public is clearly not benefiting from his leadership," he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros also raised alarm on the danger of unregulated and unregistered health products that can easily be bought online.

"Even though the FDA and the Department of Health have already warned that people getting dialysis are getting younger and younger due to the use of unregulated supplements they bought online, it seems that warning is not enough," Hontiveros said in Filipino.

"There is a real need to tighten enforcement and improve the capacity of our health and regulatory authorities," she added.

As the chair of the Committee on Health and Demography, Hontiveros vowed to probe the issue and strengthen the regulation and protection of the health and rights of Filipinos.