Health Ministry launches investigation into alleged 'non-compliant dietary supplements'

The Health Ministry said that it opened an investigation “into the manufacturer involved in some dietary supplements that have been reported by several media outlets as non-compliant with specifications,” in a statement Friday. 

It also withdrew samples from the factory and the market, sending them to multiple laboratories both in Lebanon and abroad. “Once the results are received, the public will be informed,” the ministry said.

Nearly two weeks after a televised investigation by MTV raised concerns about alleged unsafe manufacturing practices at the facility producing Probiolife, local supplement maker Pharma M S.A.L. issued a statement Thursday rejecting the claims targeting the company as “defamatory” and “misleading.” 

The company’s response, published Thursday, accused unnamed competitors of orchestrating a media campaign to damage its reputation and warned of legal action against those spreading what it calls false information.

MTV has since deleted the report. 

The ministry stated that it “prioritizes the drug file to maintain its quality on one hand, and ensure its availability in the market to meet the needs of both Lebanese citizens and residents on the other” and that it was “seriously following up on its procedures to verify the content of these reports and ensure their technical accuracy in order to take the necessary legal actions.”

Additionally, the ministry's “factory committee conducted a review of the licenses granted to the factory, as well as an on-site inspection to ensure all scientific and health conditions required for producing these dietary supplements are met.”

The ministry also urged the media to exercise accuracy in reporting news and to consult with the ministry, which keeps its doors open for inquiries.

Although Probiolife is officially registered with the Sanitary Engineering Department and is currently being tested in a clinical trial for gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), lab results and footage presented by local media suggested that consumers may be unknowingly exposed to mislabeled or contaminated doses, an accusation that Pharma M categorically denied.

The Syndicate of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Lebanon (SPIL) stated that it supported investigations into any possible violations.