In April 2023, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) detected potent ingredients in two products marketed separately for pain and cough relief and alerted the public against purchasing them.
Key takeaways
Sellers and suppliers should note that health products must be in line with applicable healthcare regulations. The HSA will not hesitate to publish information on adverse effects, resulting in negative publicity.
Anyone who sells products adulterated with potent medicinal ingredients may be imprisoned for up to two years and/or fined up to SGD 10,000 upon conviction.
In depth
Following serious medical conditions experienced by two women in their 40s and 50s, the HSA conducted an analysis of the two products. One product was marketed for pain relief and labelled to be free of steroids, while the other was marketed for cough relief and touted as “100% Natural Pure Herbal”. The analysis revealed that both products contained potent medicinal ingredients including steroids.
Both of the products were obtained from Malaysia through friends but were also sold on local e-commerce and social media platforms. The HSA recommended exercising caution when purchasing health products online or from unfamiliar sources. In the event consumers wish to buy health products online, the HSA encouraged consumers to use retailers with an established presence in Singapore and to be wary of products that claim to produce unexpectedly quick results. The HSA has also since worked with the local e-commerce and social media platforms to remove the affected product listings.
Andy Leck is a distinguished senior legal practitioner in Intellectual Property and Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) matters. He is the head of the Intellectual Property and Technology (IPTech) Practice Group in Singapore, and serves as the Asia Pacific head of Baker McKenzie's TMT Industry Group.
Andy is widely recognized by reputable global industry and legal publications as a leader in his field. He was named on "The A-List: Singapore's Top 100 lawyers" by Asia Business Law Journal since 2018. Chambers Asia Pacific notes that Andy as "a well-known IP practitioner who is highlighted for his record of handling major trade mark litigation, as well as commercial exploitation of IP rights in the media and technology sectors. He's been in the industry for a long time and has always been held in high regard. He is known to be very fair and is someone you would like to be in the trenches with you during negotiations." Furthermore, Asian Legal Business acknowledges Andy as a leading practitioner in his field and notes that he “always gives good, quick advice, [is] client-focused and has strong technical knowledge for his areas of practice.” Under his leadership, the TMT team in Singapore is highly regarded for its expertise in “outsourcing, cloud computing and TMT IP-related mandates” and “data privacy, compliance, technology and telecoms regulations.”
Andy was appointed by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) as an IP Adjudicator to hear IP disputes between 2021 and 2023. He has been an appointed member of the Singapore Copyright Tribunal since May 2010 and a mediator with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, as well as the Singapore Mediation Centre.
Ren Jun Lim is a principal with Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow. He represents local and international clients in both contentious and non-contentious intellectual property matters. He also advises on a full range of healthcare, as well as consumer goods-related legal and regulatory issues.
Ren Jun co-leads Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow's Healthcare as well as Consumer Goods & Retail industry groups. He sits on the Law Society of Singapore IP Committee and on the Executive Committee of the Association of Information Security Professionals. He is also a member of the Vaccines Working Group, Singapore Association of Pharmaceutical Industries, a member of the International Trademark Association, as well as a member of the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Association.
Ren Jun is ranked in the Silver tier for Individuals: Enforcement and Litigation and Individuals: Prosecution and Strategy, and a recommended lawyer for Individuals: Transactions by WTR 1000, 2020. He is also listed in Asia IP's Best 50 IP Expert, 2020, recognised as a Rising Star by Managing IP: IP Stars, 2019 and one of Singapore's 70 most influential lawyers aged 40 and under by Singapore Business Review, 2016. Ren Jun was acknowledged by WTR 1000 as a "trademark connoisseur who boasts supplementary knowledge of regulatory issues in the consumer products industry." He was also commended by clients for being "very responsive to enquiries and with a keen eye for detail, he is extremely hands-on. His meticulous and in-depth approach to strategising is key to the excellent outcomes we enjoy."
