SLIMMING TABLETS COULD COST HEALTH

Manama

An advertisement of weight losing pills, which appears on social media might easily lure a person into buying them.

These pills are cheap, and save you from exercise routines. You just need to swallow the pill and your purpose is served, according to the advertisement.

However, it was found these pills are banned in Bahrain due to their adverse effect on health.

The sellers first push their products through social media websites. Once a customer shows interest, they contact him/her over phone and persuade them, claiming the pills are safe. 

Lishou, a slimming pill produced by Yunnan Bai’an Medicinal Science & Technology Company is widely being advertised in Bahrain.

When DT News contacted, the seller said, 40 tablets were available for BD10.

According to the seller, with regular consumption, customers can easily lose up to 2 to 3 kilograms in a very short period.

The seller repeatedly claimed the pills are safe with no side effects.

Not allowed

Speaking to DT News, Chief Executive Officer of National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA), Dr. Bahaa Eldin Fateha said, Bahrain had banned the sale of weight-losing pills in the Kingdom.

He said whenever such pills are detected by the customs authorities at the entry ports, they are sent to NHRA. The NHRA later destroys them, the CEO said.

“Sometimes it becomes difficult to stop the entry of such pills into the country as some people bring them claiming it’s for personal use only”, he said

Meanwhile, he warned the NHRA would initiate actions against the sellers of such drugs.

FDA warning

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, has already advised consumers not to purchase or use Lishou as it contains sibutramine, a controlled substance that was removed from the U.S. market in October 2010 for safety reasons.

 ccording to FDA, which is responsible for protecting and promoting public health in the US, “The product poses a threat to consumers because sibutramine is known to substantially increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients. It could be risky for patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, or stroke. This product may also turn life threatening when taken along with some other medications.”

 Other slimming products

 Apart from Lishou, other slimming tablets such as Dr. Ming’s Chinese Capsule, Natural Max and Paiyouji Plus are also widely promoted through social media in Bahrain.

 eight loss coffee and tea are also luring the customers through social media. The FDA has issued similar warning about these products, stating they contain harmful ingredients.