EOF: Warning about Dangerous Supplements

The National Organisation for Medicines (EOF), the competent state authority for the control of medicines and related products in Greece, warned consumers on Thursday, 27 August 2026 not to purchase or use two specific products marketed as dietary supplements. These are the preparations “Plus Mixed Herbal Blend Paste” and “Benoit Oral Jelly”, which, according to the organisation, are likely to be distributed in the country through e-commerce and not through established sales points such as pharmacies. The warning was issued following laboratory tests that revealed the presence of pharmaceutical substances in the two products, which were not listed anywhere on their packaging, so the consumer has no way of knowing what they are actually taking.

The tests showed that “Plus Mixed Herbal Blend Paste” contains the pharmaceutical substance sildenafil, known for its use in approved medicines for erectile dysfunction, which are normally dispensed only with a medical prescription. “Benoit Oral Jelly” was found to contain three different pharmaceutical substances simultaneously: sildenafil, tadalafil, another substance in the same category, and paracetamol, a widely used pain reliever. None of these three substances were listed on the product’s packaging, which is sold on the market exclusively as a dietary supplement and not as a pharmaceutical preparation, although its composition, according to the test findings, essentially corresponds to a combination of medicines.

The presence of undeclared pharmaceutical substances makes the two products, according to the EOF, unapproved medicines and makes their use potentially dangerous to health. The organisation did not specify in detail the specific risks. In practice, however, a consumer who purchases the products as simple dietary supplements is not informed that they are taking substances which in approved medicines are dispensed with medical prescription and specified dosage, while they are unaware of contraindications and potential interactions. The EOF also reminded consumers that purchasing its products from unreliable distribution points, such as the internet, can seriously endanger consumer health, as the origin and actual composition of such products cannot be checked in the same way as in a pharmacy.

The EOF called consumers to “vigilance”, asking anyone already in possession of the specific products not to use them. The organisation’s announcement, as reported by newsit.gr citing iatropedia.gr as a source, did not clarify whether cases of health damage related to the two preparations have been recorded to date, nor did it announce specific measures against specific distributors or sales points. The warning falls within a broader framework of increased vigilance regarding public health issues this summer, following the 298 cases of gastroenteritis on Rhodes recorded in the last 20 days. It has not been announced whether further action will be taken regarding the two preparations.