 Public urged not to buy or consume any food items or medication with non-English labels
Department of Health medical director Dr. Ivan Tuliau is urging the public not to purchase or consume any over-the-counter drugs, medication, or food items with labels written in any other language besides English.
Over the past months, several members of the community have voiced their concern over the increasing number of medication and food items with Asian labels being sold in stores across the territory.
Most of the items in question are being sold in Asian owned and operated businesses.
Last month, drug manufacturing plants in China and other areas in the Far East were the target of investigations which revealed that over 75% of the drug manufacturing plants located there did not undergo any inspection by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which approves most of the items being sold in the US and its territories.
This adds to the growing concern that what consumers may be ingesting could place them at risk for serious and unnecessary health problems.
Tuliau said that the best way to stay safe is to avoid purchasing any consumable item that is labeled in a foreign language and not approved by the FDA.
Tuliau said that employees from the Department of Health conduct routine checks in different stores to look for such items, including products that may be on the shelves well past the noted expiration date.
According to Tuliau, DOH employees have the power to remove the items from the store shelves but store owners and members of the business community can help by doing their part in removing the items voluntarily.
Tuliau is also calling on the Customs Division of the Treasury Department to keep a closer watch on items being imported into the territory.
“We should all pull together to ensure the well being and safety of our people,” he concluded.
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