FDA warns vs ointments, oil from China, Vietnam

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday warned the public against six unregistered brands of medicated oil and ointments from China and Vietnam, saying their use may lead to health risks.

The FDA identified the six products as Fluocinonide Ointment from Tianjin in China, and Truong Tho Hot Medicated Oil, Dau Nong Truong Son, Mountain Brand Inhaler Ong Hit Cao Cap Kufon Truong Son, BL Compound Ketoconazole Cream and Dau Gio Xanh Thien Thao, all from Vietnam.

These medications pose potential health risks or may cause injury to consumers since they did not undergo mandatory product evaluation, registration and testing by the agency, it said.

To avoid serious illness or injury, FDA officer in charge Nicolas Lutero III advised the public to buy their medications only from FDA-licensed establishments and to always look for the FDA registration number on product labels.

“Please be reminded that drug products registered with FDA Philippines bear on their labels information in English and/or in Filipino for all consumers to understand,” he added.

The FDA further noted that the importation, selling or offering for sale of such products was in violation of the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009.

“In the interest of protecting public health and safety… the field Food and Drug Regulation Officers [in] this office are hereby ordered to seize the unregistered drug products found in the market,” Lutero said. Jocelyn R. Uy