HSA Alert: Weight Loss Product Sold Online Found to Contain Banned Substance and Potent Medicinal Ingredients

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) warns members of the public against purchasing or consuming “Dermcare weight (D30 & Sstrong Set) Daily Health Support Set”. As part of HSA’s ongoing online surveillance, the product was tested and found to contain a banned substance, sibutramine, and five potent medicinal ingredients ꟷ amiloride, hydrochlorothiazide, fluoxetine, orlistat and bisacodyl, most of which are found in prescription-only or pharmacy-only medicines. These ingredients could cause a range of health issues, including insomnia, headaches, diarrhoea, nausea, mood swings, and risk of heart attacks. Consumers who have taken “Dermcare weight (D30 & Sstrong Set) Daily Health Support Set” are advised to stop taking it immediately and consult a doctor if they feel unwell.

2       The product was marketed on local e-commerce platforms Shopee and Lazada for weight loss purposes. The product claimed to contain vitamins and natural ingredients such as cinnamon to help with appetite control, detoxification, fat-burning and boosting metabolism. It was sold as a set of four packets containing loose tablets and capsules, with instructions on the dosage to be taken in the morning and at night, printed in Thai. The packets were labelled as from “Dermcare clinic” with no product name or ingredients listed.

3       HSA has worked with the online platforms to remove the listings of the product. Investigations against the sellers, including one local, are ongoing.

4       Please refer to Annex A for photos of the product.

Harmful Banned Substance and Potent Medicinal Ingredients in “Dermcare weight (D30 & Sstrong Set) Daily Health Support Set”