Risky shortcuts to getting meds

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians looking for shortcuts to losing weight are going for slimming pills sold on social media, turning these online platforms into “virtual pharmacies” with unregistered prescription drugs and controlled substances being sold openly.

Slimming pills have become one of the most sought-after products on these platforms.

According to buyers, they visit these virtual pharmacies as it is cheaper and easier to get their fix without needing prescriptions or consultations from physicians.

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“No fuss at all. You order and pay. No questions asked,” said an administrative assistant who only wanted to be known as Intan.

“If you want pills prescribed, you would have to make an appointment with a doctor or get a consultation. This would be an additional cost.

“Furthermore, the consultant may try to talk you out of it and get you to exercise and diet instead,” said Intan, 35.

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“Exercise is not my thing, so this is the best way to shed those extra kilos. I am not obese, but I would like to lose some weight,” she added.

Intan said she wanted the fastest way to lose weight and that taking pills gave her that, but she admitted she is concerned about side effects.

“I would immediately stop and seek medical attention if something was not right. I promised myself that,” she said.

Another social media user, Yani, said she bought slimming pills that were advertised as “detox medicine” on a video-sharing platform.

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“It was cheap. It was just about RM15. I saw some videos and read the reviews before I decided to buy it,” said the 26-year-old.

It is well known that some sellers make misleading claims or market these products for purposes different from their intended use.

A popular variant sold on these platforms is a “pink pill” that is actually a laxative marketed as a “slimming pill” by unscrupulous sellers.

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Checks revealed that the product was not registered with the National Pharmaceutical Regula-tory Agency, although there are claims that it was registered in Japan.

To circumvent the relevant platform’s community guidelines, some sellers do not disclose the uses and names of the pills they are selling.

Controlled drugs such as abortion pills, which are not authorised for sale in Malaysia, were also found on some social media platforms.

Depending on the trimester, a “package” of two types of pills is being sold for as low as RM380.

“These drugs will only have temporary side effects. You will experience menstrual cramps, chills and diarrhoea after consuming the medicine,” said the seller when asked about possible side effects.

While one of the drugs is available through prescription, the other has not been registered for use in Malaysia, according to the Health Ministry’s Guideline on Termination of Pregnancy.

The Health Ministry’s Phar-macy Enforcement Division said that the two drugs are controlled substances under the Poisons Act, which outlines fines and jail terms for unauthorised sellers.

Section 312 of the Penal Code states that a pregnancy can only be terminated when a registered medical practitioner views the continuance of the pregnancy as posing a risk to the mother’s life or that it could affect her physical and/or mental health.