The BC RCMP and Health Canada acted on a tip from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre that unauthorized COVID-19 test kits were being sold online to residents in our province.
Together, the two groups seized more than 1,500 unauthorized kits from a Richmond resident, who acquired and sold them without authorization.
According to a news release, only diagnostic tests authorized by Health Canada can be imported or sold in the country as authorized COVID-19 tests provide accurate results, whereas unauthorized tests may lead to a misdiagnosis.
Selling or advertising health products making false or misleading claims to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure COVID-19 is illegal in Canada.
“There’s always these online scams about pitches you can find but in this case, we’re starting to see some COVID ones and we had some concerns during March and early April about fake COVID tests,” said Cpl. Daniel Michaud, Media Relations Officer, Federal Serious and Organized Crime.
Canadians who have purchased unauthorized health products should stop using them immediately and consult a health care professional if they have used any of these products and health concerns.
“We have to look at different regulations and acts whether it’s federal or provincial that can be applied to any of these things, in this case, it was a Health Canada issue and could have gone up all the way to fraud,” said Michaud.
No charges were laid by police as a result of the seizure.
A link to the release can be found here.
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