JFDA confiscates unlicenced pills, shutters illegal facility

AMMAN — Fraudulent supplements, most of which are diet and vitamin pills, are being sold both in pharmacies and online, the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) warned on Sunday.

JFDA detected the unlicenced products and shut down the illegal production facility last week, according to a report made available to The Jordan Times.

The fraudulent pills included widely prescribed back-pain drug Agilan and the food supplement Photofert.

The JFDA shared photos of the various drugs produced illegally by the facility on Facebook.

Many expressed concern over the drugs’ availability in the market.

Dalia Qudah, who bought the “Ultra Carni” supplement last week, expressed her fear of having bought the fake version. 

“Will anything happen to me if I have been taking them for a week?” she asked the JFDA.

JFDA came under fire upon making the announcement, as some said that people may have already consumed the pills by now, due to  their high demand. 

Aliaa Ibrahim commented on JFDA’s warning post by saying: “This should have been discovered sooner. I know at least five people who use Agilon. What if they do not see this warning?”

JFDA employee Ahmed Shayyab replied to the followers saying: “The fact that these supplements were being produced in Jordan means that they did not go through customs. There was no way for the JFDA to spot them any sooner, as there is no verification or testing channel for them to go through. The fraudulent supplements were immediately confiscated once they were reported.”

Citizens on the social media platform asked the administration to disclose the locations and websites of establishments selling the fake pills, as some may need the medication.