Department Of Marketing And - Lingnan University Library

Understanding the Government RegulationThe above findings suggest that there is a need for the government to regulate weight lossproducts. In fact, the government has laws to regulate drugs. However, the diet pills are notmonitored. According to Scarlett, (SCMP, 1999) President of the Practicing PharmacistsAssociation, “the sale of diet pills was largely unmonitored because many were marketed ashealth products.” Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, only drugs need to beregistered with the Department of Health, leaving health food unmonitored. So, there is a needfor the government to call for new laws to monitor the sale of diet pills.The weight loss product marketers are trying to avoid the monitoring. In Hong Kong, up tonow, there is only one diet pill approved by the Department of Health. But the pills are sold as aprescription drug only. An expert has warned that taking the pills will face embarrassing sideeffects (SCMP, 1999). Clearly, people will rarely choose this weight loss pill. They ratherchoose other kinds of weight loss products (or health products) which are without embarrassingside effects. Another important reason is that other weight loss products can be boughtanywhere.USA Government regulation in monitoring weight loss productsIn USA, there are several laws of weight loss products to protect customers. According toFederal Food and Drug Act (1906), it prohibits adulteration and misbranding of foods and drugs19