Singapore HSA Removes 959 Illegal Health Products, Most Were Unregistered Contact Lenses

Singapore’s HSA removed 959 illegal health product listings, with over 80% being unregistered contact lenses. The Silicon Review reports on the Interpol-led crackdown, 6,641 seized units, and rising risks of severe eye injuries from unapproved lenses.

In a major crackdown on illegal health products, Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority has removed 959 online listings and seized 6,641 units of unapproved goods as part of a global Interpol-coordinated enforcement. More than 82 percent of the removed listings were for unregistered contact lenses, a dramatic increase from previous operations.

The two-week enforcement, conducted from March 10 to March 26, involved 90 countries under Operation Pangea an Interpol-led global initiative targeting the online sale of illicit pharmaceuticals. In addition to contact lenses, seized items included prescription-only skin medications, sexual enhancement products, nasal aspirators and sprays, and oxygen concentrators.

HSA issued formal warnings to 152 sellers. The authority emphasized that selling contact lenses online is illegal in Singapore. “Contact lenses are medical devices that must be registered with HSA to ensure they meet required standards of safety, performance and quality,” the agency said in a statement.

The rise in unregistered contact lens listings is especially concerning given the health risks involved. HSA reported receiving reports of severe eye complications, including conjunctivitis, corneal ulceration, and blurred vision, associated with unapproved lens use. In many cases, affected consumers required medical treatment with antibiotics.

Beyond contact lenses, the operation also netted significant quantities of ivermectin a prescription-only anti-parasitic drug, often mislabeled as a health supplement which accounted for nearly 2,000 units. Other confiscated products included sedatives, painkillers, and antihistamines.

HSA advises consumers to exercise caution when purchasing health products online, particularly those advertised at unusually low prices. Sellers often use promotional tactics to lure buyers into purchasing unregistered or counterfeit goods that may contain undeclared or adulterated ingredients.

“The use of illegal health products may not offer the expected product efficacy or could even harm one’s health due to adverse effects arising from adulterated or undeclared contents,” HSA warned.

Anyone convicted of supplying illegal or adulterated health products faces jail time of up to three years and fines of up to S$100,000.

As Singapore’s HSA removes 959 illegal health product listings and warns of severe eye injuries from unregistered contact lenses, The Silicon Review examines the rising tide of online pharmaceutical crime and why consumers should think twice before buying beauty bargains from unverified sellers.