UAE Health ministry warns against online shopping of unlicensed health products

DUBAI, 9th April, 2015 (WAM) --- The Ministry of Health (MoH) has warned against shopping online any health products, including dietary and aphrodisiac supplements or herbal pills, citing serious hazards to public health and pointing to the increasing instances of unlicensed sale of such products. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Policy and Licensing, and head of the Supreme National Drug Awareness Committee, said that the ministry took action against online sales of herbal dietary products, issued relevant circulars and seized these items. Most of these products are unlicensed and are being used without prescription in the UAE, Amiri noted, adding that tests proved that they are dangerous. He further noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that more than 90 percent of the drugs being sold through the Internet are fake. He said that commercial fraud is not limited to anti-baldness drugs or skin lightening and weight loss products. Amiri added that most of those individuals and companies involved in promoting these products are outside the UAE. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395279040858.html