Debated in Parliament on 5 Feb 2018.
Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Health whether local online marketplace or auction platforms are allowed to sell drugs, such as antibiotics, that require a doctor's prescription and, if disallowed, what the Government is doing to enforce the law.
Prescription-only medicines can only be dispensed from a licensed healthcare institution or retail pharmacy with a valid prescription. Anyone who contravenes this law can be fined up to $50,000 and/or jailed for up to two years under the Health Products Act.
In the area of enforcement, HSA monitors online sites to detect illegal sales of medicines and takes actions against those who engage in such sales. As the issue extends beyond local sites, HSA also works with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and its overseas counterparts to tackle the illegal sale of medicines.
Finally, HSA has embarked on public education efforts to complement its preventive and enforcement activities. It has issued consumer advisories and press releases to raise public awareness on the dangers of purchasing medicines online. In January 2018, for example, HSA launched an online campaign which included an educational video to highlight the risks of buying from dubious online sources. This video is also being shown by our three public healthcare clusters and three major retail pharmacy chains.
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