Study on health hazards through medicines purchased on the Internet: a cross-sectional investigation of the quality of anti-obesity medicines containing crude drugs as active ingredients.

Background: Weight-loss medicines, including crude drugs and herbal supplements disguised as diet-aid products, are readily obtainable and distributed widely, especially in Southeast Asia. Even if such products are unapproved or prescription-only medicines, consumers can purchase them through an agency or directly on the Internet. We evaluated the quality and safety of herbal products purchased on the Internet to reveal their influence on public health.