PETALING JAYA: School teacher S. Anandi bought a supplement from an online platform because it was RM20 cheaper than the retail price at a pharmacy.
The supplement turned out to be counterfeit although it looked identical to the original product.
She said the supplement bought online even came with a fake hologram.
She used an app called FarmaChecker which can scan product holograms on health-related products.
The FarmaTag hologram on genuine supplements is a stamp from the Health Ministry as proof that a product has been registered and approved by the local health authorities.
The app Anandi used could not read the hologram sticker on the supplement.
This means the hologram is fake and not approved by the Health Ministry.
“I bought the supplement because it was cheaper online. But upon scanning it, I discovered that the product was fake,” she said.
The online health supplement market is flooded with counterfeit products.
Sellers even create replicas of the hologram, said industry sources.
Despite the Health Ministry having moved from the Meditag to the FarmaTag hologram which has better security features, the sale of counterfeit and illicit pharmaceutical products is showing no sign of slowing down.
“Holograms can be duplicated and we have seen them over the years, even from the Meditag days. Some illegal health product sellers even use a replica of the old Meditag hologram.
“Recently, there is a trend where sellers would mix their own supplement powders and pills. Some of these powders are filled with sugar and that is worrying.
“To the Health Ministry’s credit, it has been carrying out crackdowns on many unregistered and illicit products over the years,” said a source, adding that the illegal trade is still flourishing.
“Many consumers are unaware of an app to check whether the health supplements are genuine or not.
“In fact, some people don’t even bother to check whether the product they have purchased is authentic. They get swayed by claims that it works.
“More awareness and education campaigns should be carried out on the use of holograms and National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) registration numbers.
“Maybe the authorities should think of a new authentication method such as QR code,” the source said.
Consumers can download the NPRA Product Status app to check the status of Pharmaceutical Product Registration and Cosmetic Notification Status.
The Health Ministry used the Meditag hologram supplied by Syarikat Mediharta Sdn Bhd from 2005 until Aug 31, 2019.
The hologram was supplied to manufacturers and importers licensed by the ministry to ensure there was no abuse.
It was later replaced with FarmaTag produced by Syarikat Techno Secure Print Sdn Bhd.
Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild honorary secretary Rachel Gan advised the public to use the FarmaChecker app to check the authenticity of a product if they feel suspicious about it.
“Always buy from legitimate sellers like pharmacies or clinics, instead of unknown sellers on e-commerce platforms,” she added.
Malaysian Dietary Supplement Association president Datuk Dr M. Rajen said there are concerns over the authenticity, safety, shelf life and possible side effects of the supplements sold on online platforms.
“As an industry, we welcome the use of holograms. But there have been concerns on their viability to prevent abuse. Often, while the companies are paying for the holograms, some consumers are unaware about the benefits of the holograms,” he added.
He called for a ban on the sale of health supplements online as what is done for certain medicines.
“You cannot buy your pharmaceuticals online but you can buy your supplements online,” he said, adding that this is a regulation loophole that needs to be looked into.
General practitioner Dr Roland Victor said fake medications or supplements often contain ineffective ingredients that pose a danger to health or unsuitable for local consumption.
“We have seen cases of certain coffee powders being promoted as a natural supplement for men’s health but were found to contain controlled substances like sildenafil, the active ingredient in erectile dysfunction drugs,” he said.
“Sellers of counterfeit supplements may exploit the image of genuine doctors in their advertisements and claim that they are endorsing their products.”
