Turkey's Ministry of Health ("Ministry") has inspected and shut down 5,300 websites selling drugs, slimming teas and similar products. A Ministry statement notes that products which put public health in jeopardy have been prohibited and confiscated, as well as high administrative fines imposed on infringers.
The Ministry became authorized in 2014 to shut down websites which promote and sell medicines online, in violation of the Law on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Preparations numbered 1262 ("Law").
The Amendment Regulation Regarding Health Declarations of Products that Launch with Health Declarations ("Regulation") introduced then authorized the Ministry (as well as the Institution of Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices) to shut down websites which promote and sell products without obtaining Ministry permission, or which go beyond their existing permission.
All products which claim to be slimming, herbal, or therapeutic for diseases fall within the scope of "Health Declaration", defined in the Regulation.
Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics are the top sectors which Turkish people are most concerned about, according to a survey of 961 people by the Association of Compliance Assessment.
Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.
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