UAE doctors issue warnings on ‘herbal’ diet pills

Doctors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have issued public health warnings against the use of weight-loss drugs marketed as ‘herbal’ or ‘natural. They say that these drugs could actually contain dangerous chemicals and must not be taken without medical advice.
 
In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has tightened its noose around such products that are marketed as dietary supplements. These drugs are actually cocktails of prescription drugs and chemicals.

Such products are becoming increasingly popular in the country as they seem to ‘show results’. The World Health Organization in its estimation puts that over 25 percent of men and nearly 40 percent of women over 15 years of age are obese in UAE.

Unscrupulous drug manufacturers are cashing on this growing trend of people moving towards herbal products to make a killing. Most of these drugs are manufactured in China and Taiwan and smuggled in. As there is high demand, it becomes very difficult for the authorities to stop them from being smuggled in the country in the guise of herbal products.