The Food and Drug Administration advised the public against purchasing one of Kirkland’s vitamins, citing it was unregistered.
It particularly flagged the purchase of Kirkland Signature Vitamin C 1000 mg tablet last July 13.
The agency noted that the product was not approved in their system or issued a Certificate of Product Registration.
All food and food products should secure this certification first before they can be sold and distributed in the Philippines.
“FDA Post-Marketing Surveillance activities have verified that the abovementioned drug product has not gone through the registration process of the agency and has not been issued with proper authorization in the form of Certificate of Product Registration,” the local FDA said.
“Thus, the agency cannot guarantee their quality and safety. Therefore, consumption of such violative product may pose potential danger or injury to health,” it added.
This conforms to Republic Act No. 9711 or the FDA Act of 2009.
“The manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, promotion, advertising or sponsorship of health products without proper authorization from FDA is prohibited,” the law read.
FDA also warned establishments and similar entities against the distribution and selling the unregistered product until it secures a CPR.
“All local government units and law enforcement agencies are requested to ensure that this product is not sold or made available in their localities or areas of jurisdiction,” FDA said.
Some social media users said that they had been drinking the health supplement for years. They cited that they never encountered a problem with it.
“Really? We take this product and brand since hindi pa COVID. I still have two bottles left and I know what I have is genuine supply by a family,” one user said.
“22 years old pa lang ako puro Kirkland na ako…50 na ko yan rin product ko,” another user commented.
Some Filipinos online, meanwhile, pointed out that the distributor might have just failed to renew their CPR.
They cited that this was also a similar case as RENO Brand Liver Spread, a local brand of canned goods also flagged as unregistered, last year.
“Unregistered. Parang case lang ng Reno,” one user said.
“Kalma mga bhie, baka nakalimutan lang mag file ulit ng CPR renewal ang Kirkland. May expiration po kasi ang Certificate of Product Registration,” another user wrote.
When FDA announced that the 1958 local brand of canned good was not registered, its loyal fans took to social media to express their protest, citing that it has been sold in the market long before the agency was established.
RELATED: Why FDA is warning the public against purchase of Reno liver spread
Due to the online outrage last year, FDA Director Eric Domingo, also a Health Undersecretary, clarified that Reno Foods, Incorporated failed to register its business or secure a CPR back in 2017.
As of writing, Reno is already a registered product.