Enlarging an image
▲ Advertisements other than the recognized functionalities of health functional foods (left). Advertisement that misleads general food as health functional food (right)
On the 17th, a number of illegal sales of food and drugs were caught using the anxious psychology of parents and examinees ahead of the university entrance exam.
Today (10th), the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it had caught 297 cases of illegal and unfair advertising and sales of food and medicines online, such as 'improving students' memory' and 'medicine for studying well'.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety immediately requested to block access to the Korea Communications Standards Commission, etc., and requested administrative action from the agency in charge.
When looking at the major cases detected, certain health functional foods were marked as having functions such as 'brain nutrition' and 'memory nutrition', which were not recognized by the Minister of Food and Drug Safety.
There were also advertisements that advertised general foods as having a 'relief in insomnia' function, misleading them as medicines.
Enlarging an image
In the case of pharmaceuticals, a case of selling a psychotropic drug containing 'methylphenidate' used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a so-called 'study drug' was discovered.
Psychotropic drugs are prescription drugs that are prescribed by a doctor and used for treatment. Selling and advertising them or purchasing them without a doctor's prescription is clearly illegal and subject to punishment.
The private advertising verification team operated by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety advises that "in order for students to achieve stability, it is important to eat nutrient-rich foods and to have a regular lifestyle, rather than rely on untested foods or drugs that threaten health." I did.
(Photo = provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Yonhap News)