Russian blogger Dmitry Puchkov has appealed to former chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko over the sale of dietary supplements on online marketplaces. Speaking on a Radio Sputnik broadcast shared on the social media platform VKontakte, Puchkov called for official intervention to protect consumers from unsafe weight-loss products.
Puchkov made his remarks following reports that slimming dietary supplements sold on major e-commerce platforms were found to contain a potent substance with dangerous side effects. He argued that all biologically active supplements must undergo strict safety testing before being offered for sale to the public.
In his broadcast remarks, Puchkov questioned who bears responsibility when a child, a man, or a woman suffers adverse health consequences from taking these products. He stated that such harmful substances should never reach the hands or bodies of citizens. Asking where doctor Onishchenko was, Puchkov called on the former sanitary chief to save the public from vendors trading in such preparations.
Marketplace Supplement Regulation
The blogger spoke out after news emerged earlier in August that weight-loss supplements sold under foreign European and American brand names on online marketplaces contained sibutramine. In Russia, pharmaceutical products containing sibutramine are classified as potent substances and are strictly restricted to prescription sales only.
Sibutramine is an appetite suppressant medication originally developed to treat obesity. Medical regulators in multiple countries have restricted or withdrawn the drug due to risks of severe cardiovascular side effects, including heart attacks and strokes, as well as potential psychiatric disorders.
Background on Public Figures
Dmitry Puchkov, who broadcasts under the online pseudonym Goblin, is a well-known Russian internet personality, author, and film translator. He built a widespread public following through his voiceover work, movie reviews, and regular commentary on social and political affairs across digital media.
Gennady Onishchenko is a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the country's highest scientific institution. He served as the Chief Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation and head of the federal human welfare and consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, where he oversaw national public health enforcement and sanitary regulations for nearly two decades.
Radio Sputnik is a state-owned Russian radio broadcasting service that distributes news and political programming. VKontakte, also known as VK, functions as Russia's dominant social networking service, serving as a primary platform for media broadcasts and public commentary.
