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- Shadow supplement: 5,000 resources with banned dietary supplements have been blocked in the Russian Federation
Shadow supplement: 5,000 resources with banned dietary supplements have been blocked in the Russian Federation
About 5,000 websites offering banned dietary supplements have been blocked in Russia, the press service of Rospotrebnadzor reported. The ministry clarified that among the violations were dietary supplements without state registration, as well as additives issued for ordinary food products, but containing substances in quantities exceeding the permissible standards. Izvestia investigated what additional control or regulatory measures could reduce the volume of illegal trade in dietary supplements on the Internet.
Quick ban
The blocking of Internet resources selling and advertising unregistered dietary supplements was the result of a law that allows access to such sites to be restricted without a court decision, Sergei Leonov, head of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, told Izvestia. Therefore, there is now a significant amount of blocked resources. This measure is an effective way to combat both unscrupulous entrepreneurs and those who are trying to make money by selling unregistered supplements in Russia.
— One of the additional ways to combat this may be the introduction of labeling dietary supplements by analogy with medicines, — said the deputy. — Such a system would make it possible to remove unregistered and counterfeit products from the market and reduce the risk of their purchase by citizens.
It is recommended to buy dietary supplements in pharmacies or on trusted online pharmacy sites from reliable manufacturers and sellers, he recalled. At the same time, it is advisable not to order them on marketplaces, since such additives can both have a positive effect on health and have a negative impact. In general, it is better to use dietary supplements only on the recommendation of a doctor.
The long story
In 2018, the Popular Front discovered biologically active additives containing narcotic substances on popular Internet sites and passed this information on to law enforcement agencies, said Valery Alekseev, head of the Popular Front Bureau of Investigation.
According to him, the counterfeit scheme is widespread: they take medicines, heavily dilute them with safe substances and sell them as dietary supplements, promising a therapeutic effect, the expert noted. Even when diluted in a ratio of about 1 to 10, such products can have an effect, which makes it possible to mislead consumers and earn tens of millions of rubles, Alekseev added.
"Therefore, in some countries, control over the turnover of such products is combined with control over medicines," he explained.
It is impossible to deal with this problem only by blocking individual sites, because after one resource is closed, another one appears, the expert emphasized. Modern methods of monitoring online platforms and supply chains make it possible to identify specific people who knowingly sell illegal goods. The main thing is not the number of blocked sites, but the number of criminals brought to criminal responsibility for such violations, Valery Alekseev noted.
Tightening of measures
The problem of the sale of prohibited or unregistered dietary supplements remains relevant, as can be seen, in particular, by the number of blocked Internet resources through which such products are distributed, Maxim Chirkov, associate professor of the Department of Economic Policy and Economic Measurements at the State University of Management, noted in an interview with Izvestia.
"As a result, citizens not only spend money on such goods, but they can also put their health at risk and even get hurt," the expert emphasized.
As additional measures, in his opinion, it is possible to strengthen control and regulation in this area. For example, it is advisable to limit the promotion and advertising of such products, since most consumers are not able to independently assess whether they really need a particular dietary supplement. Stricter control and increased attention to violations in this area could help reduce the scale of the problem, the expert added.
The blocking of Internet resources offering prohibited biologically active additives for sale is aimed at ensuring the safety of the population, Peter Shcherbachenko, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, told Izvestia.
Since October 1, 2023, labeling of dietary supplements has become mandatory for manufacturers and importers. As a result, the number of detected violations in the turnover of labeled goods in Russia in 2025 decreased by 21% compared to 2024 and amounted to 1.5 million cases, according to the data from the Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT), the operator of the Honest Sign labeling system, the expert noted.
Also, according to him, it is important to raise awareness of citizens about the risks of buying unregistered dietary supplements and possible harm to health. To do this, you can use social advertising and handouts designed for different target audiences, explained Peter Shcherbachenko.
In addition, it is advisable to expand the use of artificial intelligence technologies to quickly identify suspicious data on the Internet, especially in the field of online sales of goods to the public, including unregistered medicines and dietary supplements, the expert added.
When choosing dietary supplements, it is important to approach the issue with caution and awareness of the purposes of their use. Dietary supplements can be useful if a person is deficient in certain vitamins or minerals, which is confirmed by tests or doctor's recommendations. At the same time, they do not replace proper nutrition and are not medicines, so you should not rely on the treatment or elimination of serious diseases with their help.
When buying supplements, you should pay attention to several key aspects. It is important to choose products that are registered with the relevant government authorities, which ensures that the composition is tested and complies with established safety standards.
You should also carefully study the packaging and instructions, check the composition and dosage of substances. It is important to take into account the individual characteristics of the body, chronic diseases and possible interactions with other drugs. Before taking it, it is recommended to consult with a doctor who will be able to determine the need for a supplement, select a safe dosage and check compatibility with other drugs.
Izvestia sent a request to Rospotrebnadzor, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
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