MANILA – Sen. Raffy Tulfo criticized the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its lack of concrete action amid the widespread sale of illegal, counterfeit, and unregistered health products online and in physical stores.

During the Senate Committee on Health and Demography hearing on January 27, 2026, Tulfo told FDA Director General Paolo Teston that the agency’s response should go beyond issuing health advisories.

“Dahil sa online selling platforms, halos lahat ngayon ay one click away. Pero kasabay ng convenience, one click away na rin ang panganib,” Tulfo said.

As an example, Tulfo cited a test-buy conducted by his Senate team on Shopee, where they were able to purchase prescription-only medicines such as clobetasol propionate and co-amoxiclav without presenting a prescription.

Tulfo also raised concerns over the surge in sales of “Tirzepatide” on TikTok and other platforms. He noted that only the brand Mounjaro is registered with the FDA in the Philippines, yet unregistered versions are widely sold online and are not properly regulated.

“Ang pag-bebenta ng mga ito ay hindi shortcut sa pam-papayat, kundi shortcut sa panganib para sa ating consumers,” he said.

The senator further said the proliferation of unregistered, unsafe, and fake health products is not limited to online platforms. According to Tulfo, his staff conducted test buys in several physical stores and were still able to purchase Hokkaido Slimming Pills containing amphetamine.

He noted that the FDA had issued an advisory against the product in 2013, but its sale remains rampant.

On counterfeit medicines, Tulfo said his team was able to buy fake versions of Biogesic, Decolgen Forte, and Neozep in physical stores. He added that these counterfeit medicines are sometimes more expensive than those sold in pharmacies but are ineffective and dangerous, potentially causing severe allergic reactions.

“Urgency is a must pag kalusugan ang pinag-uusapan,” Tulfo said. “Sa pagdinig na ito, malinaw kung sino ang main character. Ang tanong: bida ba sila sa consumer protection, o sila ang kontrabida sa kalusugan ng bayan? In public health, advisories are not enough. Action is the real measure of credibility.”

During the hearing, Tulfo also presented samples of unregistered and fake medicines purchased by his team.