Cheap or second-hand items, including bandages and thermometers, were the most common items among 253 cases of alleged sales of medical supplies or drugs on the Internet, the Kaohsiung City Government’s Department of Health said.
The department said it uncovered 55 cases of sales of snoring aids, 47 low-frequency therapeutic devices, 21 “digital meridian therapeutic devices,” and 130 blood pressure meters, forehead cooling strips, contact lenses, bandages and other items between January and last month.
Most of the items were sold on the nation’s largest online auction portals, Ruten and Yahoo, as well as Facebook, it said.
According to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (藥事法), medical devices may only be sold by licensed pharmacies, with breaches drawing possible fines of between NT$30,000 and NT$2 million (US$926 and US$61,757).
The department said that many of those found to have sold such items said they were not aware of the regulations, including a university student who tried to sell a second-hand box of bandages being fined NT$30,000.
“They sold contact lenses or bandages without being aware that [they are breaking the law], so they regretted it and asked for forgiveness, but the department still has to impose the fine,” Pharmaceutical Affairs Section official Wu Ming-cheng (吳明正) said.
The department said people who intend to sell medical devices on the Internet or by mail order must obtain a pharmacy permit from their local health department and they must have a sales office to register to sell such items.
The Food and Drug Administration yesterday said that because medical supplies pose a degree of health risk, there is a threshold for selling such items online.
It urged people to “recognize” medical supplies, carefully read labels and approval numbers on such items before purchasing, and use the products according to the instruction manual.
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