Bangkok: The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has detected illegal online advertisements for animal medications. According to Thai News Agency, the FDA discovered unauthorized advertising for the veterinary drug "Nexgard Spectra," which poses a health risk to pets.
The FDA received complaints about the advertising and sale of Nexgard Spectra in various strengths-9mg/2mg, 19mg/4mg, 38mg/8mg, 75mg/15mg, and 150mg/30mg-through online platforms. These advertisements claimed the drug's effectiveness in preventing and eliminating ticks, fleas, mites, and heartworm in dogs and cats, and presented themselves as direct distributors offering the medication safely and at affordable prices.
Upon investigation, the FDA found that Nexgard Spectra is classified as a hazardous drug and is a controlled substance under the law. Advertising the product without proper approval for its text or images, and making misleading claims about its efficacy, is illegal. The FDA also revealed that those involved in the fraudulent advertising obtained money but failed to deliver the product. The agency is coordinating with relevant authorities to take legal action against the offenders and is monitoring the sale of this product online and in physical stores. The public is advised to purchase veterinary drugs only from authorized retailers to avoid receiving substandard products that could harm pets or lead to financial loss.
For verification of product licensing, the public can visit www.fda.moph.go.th or use Line@FDAThai, Facebook: FDAThai. Suspected harmful products or advertisements can be reported to the FDA through hotline 1556, Line@FDAThai, Facebook: FDAThai, E-mail: [email protected], P.O. Box 1556, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11004, or provincial public health offices nationwide.