The Thai FDA has recently strengthened its collaboration with Lazada and Shopee, targeting the removal of unregistered and unsafe health products from their platforms, inviting to FDA Registration for Cross-Border sellers. The FDA held discussions on November 5, 2024, with key representatives from both e-commerce platforms to reinforce compliance, improve consumer safety, and establish swift protocols for taking down non-compliant listings.
Deputy Secretary-General of the FDA, Pharmacist Lertchai Lertwutthi, highlighted that this cooperation aims to curb the spread of unsafe health products, including cosmetics, supplements, and medical devices, which often lack FDA registration. Under the new guidelines, both Lazada and Shopee are tasked with promptly removing unregistered products within 24 hours, protecting consumers from potentially harmful or misleading products. This action aligns with a broader FDA initiative to strengthen public health standards in Thailand’s rapidly growing online marketplace.
The impact of the FDA’s collaboration with Lazada is evident in recent enforcement actions. Between September 2023 and September 2024, Lazada removed 9,454 illegal products and 30 vendor accounts. Additionally, 134 vendors faced legal actions due to non-compliance. Meanwhile, Shopee has agreed to enhance cooperation by immediately removing flagged products from the platform. The platform has introduced educational resources to help sellers understand regulatory requirements, and it offers consumers a complaint system to report suspicious products.
Looking to the Future: Data Integration and Training for Effective Regulation
As part of its plan to ensure consumer safety, the FDA intends to implement advanced product inspection technology, increasing efficiency in detecting and preventing the sale of illegal health products. The integration of API systems is being explored to streamline data sharing between the FDA and e-commerce platforms, enabling real-time compliance monitoring. The FDA also plans to train officials to use the Law Enforcement Request Portal (LERP), enhancing coordination between government agencies and e-commerce platforms.
This partnership emphasizes the Thai FDA’s commitment to consumer safety, leveraging technology and collaboration to regulate Thailand’s booming e-commerce landscape effectively. Additionally, Lazada and Shopee are encouraged to contribute to this effort by creating an environment where only trustworthy vendors operate, promoting good practices among sellers while quickly addressing violations.
FDA Registration for Cross-Border: Enforcement Discrepancies on Major Platforms
Although the FDA’s increased vigilance is welcome, some inconsistencies persist. While many small sellers face strict repercussions for non-compliance, major international brands often appear to evade scrutiny. One of the most prominent U.S. companies continues to offer unregistered products to Thai consumers through these platforms. This discrepancy raises questions: when will Lazada and Shopee realize the importance of applying these regulations evenly, ensuring large brands are held to the same standards as smaller sellers?
Call to Action: Register Your Products with Siam Development
If you’re selling on Lazada or Shopee, product registration with the Thai FDA is essential to maintain compliance and avoid penalties. Siam Development offers a streamlined license-holding service for FDA registration, making it easy for cross-border sellers to meet regulatory requirements. Ensure your products are registered, stay compliant, and protect your business by working with Siam Development’s experts.
Source: Thai Fda (https://www.fda.moph.go.th/news/05112567)
