The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) says more than 8,000 food supplements have been listed in the Maldives, while urging consumers to ensure such products are genuinely necessary before using them.
Food supplements of various types continue to be sold through social media without being registered, while many are also heavily promoted online under different brand names.
Speaking on PSM News' "Raajje Miadhu" programme, Food Quality Assurance Coordinator Aiminath Shabana Ali said some unapproved products are available in local shops even if they are not openly advertised. She stressed that consumers should first determine whether a supplement is genuinely needed before taking it.
Shabana said all products must receive MFDA approval before they can be advertised. Products submitted for approval are assessed to ensure they meet the authority's required standards.
She also noted that importers must obtain MFDA approval before bringing food supplements into the country. The authority follows two regulatory processes — registration and listing. Through the listing system, the MFDA is able to monitor the types and quantities of supplements being imported.
According to Shabana, more than 8,000 food supplements have so far been listed in the Maldives.
She said the figure indicates that Maldivians are consuming supplements in significant quantities, making it important to consider whether all of these products are truly necessary.
Shabana also warned consumers to pay close attention to statements printed on supplement labels, including health warnings and reproductive harm warnings. She said that when the MFDA first began regulating the sector, it was difficult to determine what products were already on the market. However, ongoing regulatory efforts are helping to prevent non-compliant supplements from entering the Maldives.
She further stressed the importance of clear and accurate labelling, with product labels required to specify their ingredients and contents.
The MFDA gazetted new labelling regulations in June this year and granted businesses a six-month transition period to comply. From the end of December, legal action will be taken against businesses selling products with labels that do not meet the new requirements, Shabana said.