eBay, Wish and other platforms have removed potentially risky weight loss drugs

"Thinness is beauty" is a very popular aesthetic concept, and weight loss drugs have a corresponding market. These drugs that claim to help lose weight sound very tempting, but if used improperly, they may cause irreversible harm to the human body.

Yesterday, the UK consumer watchdog released a report that dozens of potentially risky weight loss drugs were sold on e-commerce platforms such as eBay, Wish, and AliExpress. These weight loss products contain yohimbine or synephrine, which may increase a person's heart rate and blood pressure, and in severe cases may even damage the heart and kidneys, leading to stroke and heart attack. Currently, these weight loss drugs have been removed from the platforms.

These products containing yohimbine and synephrine are sold on e-commerce platforms as weight loss pills and exercise supplements , but their effectiveness remains questionable . Yohimbine is considered a prescription drug in the UK and is banned from sale except by pharmacists . Synephrine is more complex to regulate than yohimbine , and is subject to stricter quality, safety and efficacy controls due to the physiological effects it causes .

The UK consumer watchdog bought nine samples of yohimbine or synephrine from the platforms despite the drugs not being routinely sold in the UK . Two of the nine samples contained no safety warnings or dosage information at all.

The UK consumer watchdog found at least a dozen products containing yohimbine or synephrine available for purchase on each of eBay, Wish and AliExpress, with prices ranging from £2.39 to £80. The drugs came from countries including India, the United States, Ukraine and Poland, many of which offered free shipping.

After receiving notices from regulators, these e-commerce platforms have said they will stop selling these products. eBay said it will work with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and other global regulators to strengthen supervision of these banned drugs; Wish said it would limit the sale of prescription drugs or products that require professional medical supervision; AliExpress said the company attaches great importance to customer safety and strives to ensure a safe shopping environment.

There are good and bad companies on e-commerce platforms, and it is difficult for regulators to review everything. In this case, e-commerce platforms must assume greater regulatory responsibility for the safety of products sold on their websites in order to better protect the rights and interests of consumers. At the same time, sellers must also do a good job of research when selling products, understand local laws and regulations, and avoid affecting subsequent operations due to product removal.

Wish Platform

eBay Platform

AliExpress Platform