[News Today] ILLEGAL SALE OF ‘MEMORY BOOSTERS’

[LEAD]
As university entrance exams near in Korea, numerous companies have been exposed for advertising ADHD medications as 'drugs boosting academic performance' and 'student supplements'. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety warned that these products may be counterfeit with unknown origins, advising against their purchase.

[REPORT]
Last month, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety found 711 postings advertising the illegal sale and distribution of ADHD medications in an online inspection.

The posters sold psychotropic medicines used for treating ADHD, like methylphenidate, and amphetamine, which is unauthorized in Korea, as supplements boosting academic performance.

The ministry stressed that the act of selling and advertising narcotic drugs is clearly illegal and subject to punishment.

It asked consumers not to buy such substances, as they are likely counterfeits from an unreliable source.

The ministry also discovered 83 illegal food advertisements on 300 online markets selling nutritional supplements.

Forty-six companies were caught falsely advertising regular foods as boosters of memory and concentration, misleading consumers into thinking they were health supplements.

The ministry requested the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block access to the websites in question. It also asked for administrative measures against them.

It also emphasized that consumers should check certification marks and functions of nutritional supplements before purchase.