SENATORS raised alarm Tuesday, January 27, 2026, over the proliferation of counterfeit medicines and illegal drugs sold online, warning that weak government oversight has turned the digital marketplace into a “Wild West.”
During the Committee on Health and Demography hearing, senators said online platforms, while convenient, have become unsafe spaces where Filipinos are exposed to fake medicines, banned substances, and misleading ads. They blamed alleged incompetence and corruption within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for failing to stop the problem.
Senators stressed that poor regulation threatens the goals of Universal Health Care, saying the program cannot succeed if citizens remain vulnerable to dangerous and unregulated products.
