MANILA, Philippines–A consumer has filed a complaint in the Office of the Ombudsman over the rampant sale in Metro Manila of weight-loss and slimming pills that “may contain harmful ingredients,” particularly by “questionable drugstores” in the Binondo area.
In her letter-complaint, Analiza Reyes sought the action of the Ombudsman, citing possible neglect of duty on the part of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director Dr. Kenneth Hartgan-Go.
Reyes alleged that some drugstore owners in Binondo were paying some unscrupulous inspectors and officers of the FDA so that their stores would not be inspected or padlocked. A copy of the letter was sent to the Office of the President.
One drugstore identified by the complainant allegedly sold the drugs in an open counter.
Early this year, the FDA released the following list of banned and unregistered slimming products: Ballet Dancer Fat Reducing; Bio-Lissom Fat Reducing; Brazilian Slimming Coffee; Cell Life Slimming Coffee; Elegant Shape Fat Reducing; Goodliness Fat Reducing; Happyslim; Leisure 18 Slimming Coffee; Lightness Fat Reducing; Maggie Fitness Essence; Mei Shen Ting Anti-Obesity; Modeling Fat-Reducing; New Original Lightness Fat-Reducing;
Pearl White Slimming; Perfect Figure Slimming; Perfect Slim Fat Reduction Cosmetic; Perfect Slim Purely Natural Fat Reduction Cosmetic; Pill for Weight Reduction; Pretty Model; Qiaomei Fat Binder; Qi Xian Nu; Seven Days Miracle; Shaping Body Fat Loss; Slim and Beauty Slimming; Slim Up Extra Whitening; and Xianzimei Fat Reduction.
These brands were still being marketed in Binondo, according to the complainant.
She said “sex enhancers” such as Feel Attracted Eerge Victrious Climax, Queen Emerge Victorious High Spirit, Nur Er Hong Sex Hormone, African Sex Slave, Spanish Sex Drops, Longbao, America Tiger Brother, Long Acting Aphrodisiac and Wolf were openly sold in several Binondo drug stores.