Brasília – The Brazilian pharmaceutical industry, represented by Sindusfarma, lodges formal complaints against the sale of Paraguayan weight-loss pens marketed on online marketplaces and social media platforms, warning that these products are unregistered, unregulated and potentially unsafe for consumers. The devices — often promoted as slimming aids and sourced from Paraguayan suppliers — have proliferated across digital marketplaces, raising concerns about quality assurance and regulatory compliance.

Industry stakeholders argue that the clandestine sale of these pens not only undermines legitimate regulated markets but also poses serious public health risks, as the products lack registration with the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) and have not undergone evaluation for safety, efficacy or content verification. ANVISA has already issued resolutions banning and ordering the seizure of unregistered tirzepatide and retatrutide pens, popularly known as “Paraguayan slimming pens,” emphasizing that such products cannot be sold, imported, advertised or used in Brazil due to unknown composition and lack of regulatory authorization.

Consumer safety advocates and industry representatives call for strengthened enforcement and monitoring to curb the influx of unregulated weight-loss devices, noting that marketplace platforms and social networks can facilitate rapid distribution of prohibited items. The complaints underscore the ongoing challenge of safeguarding public health in digital commerce and the need for robust cooperation between regulators, industry and enforcement agencies.

Source: Valor