Cyprus’s Pharmaceutical Services are examining a specific complaint that health professionals have been administering unapproved products, including injectables, to members of the public with promises of improved health, wellbeing and organ function.
The Ministry of Health’s Pharmaceutical Services said in a statement today that the practice, which has grown in other countries in recent years, appears to have now reached Cyprus, and warned the public of the possible risks.
According to information obtained by philenews, the complaint targets a specific healthcare service provider, where treatments are reportedly being carried out using preparations not approved for human use. The relevant authorities are examining the type and origin of the products, as well as the conditions under which they are said to be administered.
A related complaint could be filed with police within the coming hours, according to the same sources.
The products in question are marketed with promises including weight loss, anti-ageing, muscle growth, recovery, wellbeing, and improved appearance and health.
Beyond this specific complaint, authorities have also received reports of these products being administered in other settings where no health professionals are even present. The category may include peptides, hormone analogues and other substances with drug-like effects on the body, whether injectable, oral or in other forms.
“Natural” does not mean safe
The Pharmaceutical Services made clear that a product does not become legal or safe simply because it is marketed as “natural,” a “dietary supplement” or “for laboratory research only.” When a preparation is in practice intended for human use, such labels do not exempt it from pharmaceutical law, nor do they guarantee its quality or safety. On the contrary, using these labels can create a misleading impression of safety, leading people to use substances whose composition, potency and origin have not been checked.
Injectable products carry greater risk
Products administered by injection or intravenously are of particular concern. Authorities warn that this method of administration bypasses the body’s natural protective mechanisms, and that products not manufactured, stored and distributed to required pharmaceutical standards can pose serious risks, including:
- Contamination of the product
- The presence of an unknown or different active substance
- Incorrect potency or dosage
- Toxicity
- Infections
- Serious adverse effects
An illegally distributed product may also contain none of the active substance listed on its packaging, or contain harmful substances, which can lead not only to treatment failure but also to unpredictable effects or dangerous interactions with other medication a patient is taking.
Only from legal, regulated sources
The Pharmaceutical Services urged the public not to obtain pharmaceutical products from the internet, social media, or unauthorised individuals or premises. This warning applies even when products are presented as “innovative,” “safe,” “free of side effects” or “for research use only.” Pharmaceutical products must come from legal, regulated sources and, where required, be prescribed by a doctor and available only through licensed pharmacies.
The Pharmaceutical Services concluded that the circulation and supply of unlicensed or unapproved pharmaceutical products in Cyprus constitutes a breach of the law and is subject to the penalties provided for.
