Ministry of Health calls public not to pay attention to websites promoting medical products of unknown sources

posted on 22/10/2012: 4560 views

The UAE Ministry of Health urged consumers to investigate the credibility of health and medical promotion offers through electronic websites and get to know if these products are registered with the Ministry of Health or allowed for circulation.

The pharmaceutical registration and control department in cooperation with the health advertisements department make greater efforts in protecting consumers from such unsafe and misleading pharmaceutical and medical products.

The Ministry of Health addressed the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) to block a website which sells contact lenses for UAE and GCC consumers through the internet. Such an action is a violation of the federal law No. 4 of 1983 concerning the profession of pharmacy and pharmaceutical institutions and the cabinet's decision No. 7 of 2007 concerning the system of health advertisements.

Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Practices and Licensing, at the Ministry of Health, said: "There is a significant risk in the promotion and sale of medical products and devices without the medical approval or advice from a specialised doctor or registration of these products in the Ministry of Health to ensure their safety and eligibility".

He also noted that the ministry monitors some websites that offend the UAE's efforts in organising and controlling health and medical products which are exchanged through certain offers to the neighbouring countries. These websites do not mention the name of the company, identify its activity or reveal its legal status in the UAE. Promotion offers in these websites are usually done through blackberry advertising text messages.

Al Amiri emphasised that the Ministry of Health addressed Emirates Post to take the necessary actions against these websites and stop the delivery, promotion and sale of these health products that are not registered by the Ministry of Health as these actions not only harm the reputation of the UAE but prevent the efforts of the Ministry of Health in ensuring the safety of medical and health products and maintaining the health of consumers in the UAE and neighbouring countries. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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