Access to hazardous weight-loss substances on the EU market
21.10.2013
Question for written answer E-012005-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Jarosław Leszek Wałęsa (PPE)
There have recently been disturbing media reports about people dying after taking weight-loss products. Most such substances are illegal and originate from unknown sources. Given that it has become fashionable among young people to lose weight whatever the cost, I would like to draw attention to medicinal products and substances which, in spite of their many side effects, are nevertheless available to consumers. They include the following:
- — capsules made from tapeworm larvae;
- — dinitrophenol;
- — sibutramine;
- — rimonabant.
This is not a comprehensive list of all such substances, but these are the most frequently mentioned in terms of their danger to human health. It is not difficult to obtain medicinal products which contain the abovementioned substances. Given that not enough action is taken by the agencies responsible for protecting people’s health and safety, I would like to ask the Commission the following:
- 1.Is there currently an EU-wide register of harmful weight-loss substances?
- 2.How does the Commission intend to tackle the problem of the availability of harmful substances?
- 3.Does the Commission have any information on the extent of the illegal production and sale of weight-loss substances?
OJ C 221, 11/07/2014