Since 2015, the FDA has identified more than 200 sex supplements with hidden drugs. But an agency database shows only 15 recalls of supplements containing erectile dysfunction drugs. In most cases, the FDA has just issued alerts telling consumers to avoid the products. “These are illegal products that are just openly being sold, and the FDA is not doing anything about it,” said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School who has studied the dangers of unregulated supplements for nearly a decade, and who says he has asked FDA officials about taking more aggressive action. “People say it’s not in my jurisdiction.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles says that most likely “someone else, or perhaps even multiple individuals, started marketing Rhino products” after Lee’s arrest. Seeking leniency In letters to the judge, Lee’s children say the family had enjoyed a comfortable middle-class life in Orange County. They describe Lee as self-employed throughout their childhood and active in his community and church. According to Lee’s daughter, a social worker, her father would go through periods of reckless behavior, including heavy drinking and gambling.
He never received mental health treatment, according to the daughter, but she suspected he suffered from bipolar disorder. His symptoms worsened over time, leading to “the behaviors that led to his current incarceration,” his daughter wrote to the judge. An attorney for Lee declined to comment on the case. Emails obtained by prosecutors show that in 2016, Lee asked wholesalers in China for a quote on sildenafil and tadalafil. He stressed that he cared about “SAFETY and PURITY.” A wholesaler in China assured him that the drugs can easily be shipped in bulk to the U.S.
“We will change the name on the product label to make it easier to pass the USA customs,” the Chinese seller wrote, adding that the drugs would be shipped via FedEx, “just like we always do.” Lee made the capsules at warehouses in Southern California before shipping them across the country, according to his indictment. He fell into the federal crosshairs in 2018, when customs agents seized a package of white powder from China addressed to him and labeled as “Acrylic Paint.” Lab tests revealed that the powder actually contained erectile dysfunction drugs. By the time of his arrest, prosecutors say he had netted between $3 million and $9 million in sales. His family has requested that Lee be deported to South Korea rather than serving the recommended three-year prison sentence. But a prison sentence, prosecutors have argued, will “deter others from engaging in similar conduct or continuing defendant’s operations now that he is in custody.” — Editor’s Note: This story was produced by FairWarning ( a nonprofit news organization based in Southern California that focuses on public health, consumer and environmental issues. Within the FDA there is a lot of bureaucratic arguing about who is responsible for taking these products off store shelves,” Cohen said. In a statement, the FDA said that “the agency faces several challenges in deterring fraudulent marketing of these types of products.” Among the obstacles, the FDA said, are that ”even after ed medications recall and enforcement action against one distributor, a number of other distributors of a product may continue to sell it.” The FDA also said that dietary supplements tainted with drugs are considered drugs under the law and the agency ”does not have mandatory recall authority” over them.
| Product | Dosage | Quantity + Bonus | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamagra Gold | 100 mg | 20 Pills | 86.09€ 81.99€ | |
| Apcalis SX Oral Jelly | 20mg | 17 + 4 Sachets | 95.52€ 90.97€ | |
| Kamagra Gold | 50 mg | 180 + 6 Pills | 371.27€ 353.59€ | |
| Viagra Original | 100mg | 22 + 2 Pills | 120.71€ 114.96€ | |
| Kamagra Soft Tabs | 100 mg | 84 + 4 Pills | 233.05€ 221.95€ | |
| Tadalista Super Active | 20mg | 10 Pills | 55.64€ 52.99€ | |
| Super Kamagra | 160 mg | 4 Pills | 41.99€ 39.99€ | |
| Levitra Professional | 20mg | 30 Pills | 119.12€ 113.45€ | |
| Kamagra Gold | 100 mg | 360 + 6 Pills | 839.95€ 799.95€ | |
| Levitra Soft Tabs | 20mg | 90 + 6 Pills | 241.31€ 229.82€ | |
| Cialis Super Active | 20mg | 90 + 10 Pills | 314.14€ 299.18€ | |
| Levitra Original | 20mg | 92 + 4 Pills | 406.22€ 386.88€ |
Unknowingly ingesting tadalafil or sildenafil is dangerous because the drugs can have negative interactions with other medications or with alcohol. “Despite these challenges, the FDA recognizes the seriousness of this problem and continues to act within its resources and authorities to address this problem as best it can,” said agency spokesman Jeremy Kahn. Popular worldwide Viagra, the brand name for sildenafil, made history in 1998 as the first drug approved to treat erectile dysfunction.
| Myth | Fact | Source or Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| They instantly double your testosterone | Effects take weeks to notice | Scientific studies show gradual changes |
| All contain steroids | Most contain herbal or natural ingredients | Few contain synthetic steroids |
| Hormonal pills are unsafe | Safe when used as directed; unregulated products pose risks | Regulation varies; consult professionals |
| They are a substitute for healthy lifestyle | No, diet and exercise are essential for true vitality | Pills may support but not replace healthy habits |
Its competitor Cialis, made with tadalafil, was approved in 2003. Not long after, herbal supplements hiding those ingredients became popular worldwide. Consumers choose over-the-counter products because they are cheaper and easier to obtain. Some people may also be swayed by the idea of taking a supplement they are told is all-natural.
Then there’s the high cost of healthcare in the United States. Paying to see a doctor or a specialist if you’re under- or uninsured to get a prescription for Viagra or Cialis might simply be too expensive or onerous. For these consumers, products like Rhino gain extra appeal. Lab tests have found that the dosage in the over-the-counter supplements is not uniform, and can often be higher than in prescription pills. Another concern is that the pills may be made with analogues, or experimental variations of existing drugs that have not been tested for safety. As of 2012, at least 46 analogues of erectile dysfunction drugs were in use worldwide, according to researchers in the Netherlands. For reasons that are unclear, supplement manufacturers have also mixed erectile dysfunction medicine with glyburide, a drug normally used in diabetes medication The combination can be toxic and was linked to more than a dozen deaths in Hong Kong and Singapore in 2007 and 2008.
Lab tests have found that the dosage in the over-the-counter supplements is not uniform, and can often be higher than in prescription pills. Another concern is that the pills may be made with analogues, or experimental variations of existing drugs that have not been tested for safety. As of 2012, at least 46 analogues of erectile dysfunction drugs were in use worldwide, according to researchers in the Netherlands. For reasons that are unclear, supplement manufacturers have also mixed erectile dysfunction medicine with glyburide, a drug normally used in diabetes medication The combination can be toxic and was linked to more than a dozen deaths in Hong Kong and Singapore in 2007 and 2008. Closer to home, in 2019 in Virginia 17 men were hospitalized with hypoglycemia, a life-threatening drop in blood sugar, after ingesting supplements called “V8 male enhancement.” The drugs were marketed as all-natural but found to contain erectile dysfunction medication and glyburide.
Officials with the Virginia Department of Public Health seized the supplements from local stores, a spokesman for the agency says. Sentencing looms Nam Hyun Lee, who is in his sixties, looked tired but calm at a recent court hearing over Zoom. Dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, he held a listening device to his ear, straining to hear a Korean interpreter relay information from the hearing. His sentencing is scheduled today (Feb. 9).
“We will change the name on the product label to make it easier to pass the USA customs.” — a Chinese seller. Lee was not the first to sell adulterated sex pills in the U.S., but prosecutors say he was the first to market rhino pills specifically. The distinctive design of a holographic rhino staring back at buyers has made the pills synonymous with over-the-counter sex pills. A search of the phrase “pop a rhino” on Twitter turns up dozens of jokes about their effects. Lee was arrested in 2018, and the rhino pills being sold today were probably made by someone else. Closer to home, in 2019 in Virginia 17 men were hospitalized with hypoglycemia, a life-threatening drop in blood sugar, after ingesting supplements called “V8 male enhancement.” The drugs were marketed as all-natural but found to contain erectile dysfunction medication and glyburide. Officials with the Virginia Department of Public Health seized the supplements from local stores, a spokesman for the agency says.
Since 2015, the FDA has identified more than 200 sex supplements with hidden drugs. But an agency database shows only 15 recalls of supplements containing erectile dysfunction drugs. In most cases, the FDA has just issued alerts telling consumers to avoid the products. “These are illegal products that are just openly being sold, and the FDA is not doing anything about it,” said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School who has studied the dangers of unregulated supplements for nearly a decade, and who says he has asked FDA officials about taking more aggressive action.
“People say it’s not in my jurisdiction. Within the FDA there is a lot of bureaucratic arguing about who is responsible for taking these products off store shelves,” Cohen said. In a statement, the FDA said that “the agency faces several challenges in deterring fraudulent marketing of these types of products.” Among the obstacles, the FDA said, are that ”even after ed medications recall and enforcement action against one distributor, a number of other distributors of a product may continue to sell it.” The FDA also said that dietary supplements tainted with drugs are considered drugs under the law and the agency ”does not have mandatory recall authority” over them. Unknowingly ingesting tadalafil or sildenafil is dangerous because the drugs can have negative interactions with other medications or with alcohol. “Despite these challenges, the FDA recognizes the seriousness of this problem and continues to act within its resources and authorities to address this problem as best it can,” said agency spokesman Jeremy Kahn.
Popular worldwide Viagra, the brand name for sildenafil, made history in 1998 as the first drug approved to treat erectile dysfunction. Its competitor Cialis, made with tadalafil, was approved in 2003. Not long after, herbal supplements hiding those ingredients became popular worldwide. Consumers choose over-the-counter products because they are cheaper and easier to obtain. Some people may also be swayed by the idea of taking a supplement they are told is all-natural. Sentencing looms Nam Hyun Lee, who is in his sixties, looked tired but calm at a recent court hearing over Zoom. Dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, he held a listening device to his ear, straining to hear a Korean interpreter relay information from the hearing. His sentencing is scheduled today (Feb. 9). “We will change the name on the product label to make it easier to pass the USA customs.” — a Chinese seller. Lee was not the first to sell adulterated sex pills in the U.S., but prosecutors say he was the first to market rhino pills specifically. The distinctive design of a holographic rhino staring back at buyers has made the pills synonymous with over-the-counter sex pills.
A search of the phrase “pop a rhino” on Twitter turns up dozens of jokes about their effects. Lee was arrested in 2018, and the rhino pills being sold today were probably made by someone else. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles says that most likely “someone else, or perhaps even multiple individuals, started marketing Rhino products” after Lee’s arrest. Seeking leniency In letters to the judge, Lee’s children say the family had enjoyed a comfortable middle-class life in Orange County. They describe Lee as self-employed throughout their childhood and active in his community and church. According to Lee’s daughter, a social worker, her father would go through periods of reckless behavior, including heavy drinking and gambling. He never received mental health treatment, according to the daughter, but she suspected he suffered from bipolar disorder. His symptoms worsened over time, leading to “the behaviors that led to his current incarceration,” his daughter wrote to the judge. An attorney for Lee declined to comment on the case. Emails obtained by prosecutors show that in 2016, Lee asked wholesalers in China for a quote on sildenafil and tadalafil. He stressed that he cared about “SAFETY and PURITY.” A wholesaler in China assured him that the drugs can easily be shipped in bulk to the U.S. “We will change the name on the product label to make it easier to pass the USA customs,” the Chinese seller wrote, adding that the drugs would be shipped via FedEx, “just like we always do.” Lee made the capsules at warehouses in Southern California before shipping them across the country, according to his indictment. He fell into the federal crosshairs in 2018, when customs agents seized a package of white powder from China addressed to him and labeled as “Acrylic Paint.” Lab tests revealed that the powder actually contained erectile dysfunction drugs. By the time of his arrest, prosecutors say he had netted between $3 million and $9 million in sales. His family has requested that Lee be deported to South Korea rather than serving the recommended three-year prison sentence. But a prison sentence, prosecutors have argued, will “deter others from engaging in similar conduct or continuing defendant’s operations now that he is in custody.” — Editor’s Note: This story was produced by FairWarning ( a nonprofit news organization based in Southern California that focuses on public health, consumer and environmental issues. Want to see more stories like this?
Instead, he says, it’s often up to local law enforcement, municipalities, or states to identify and track dangerous supplements hitting the market. “In a lot of cases, that information gets to the FDA through those local efforts,” he said. Most men probably aren’t expecting sexual miracles from gas station supplements. But the success of these products — 25 of which the FDA identifies under the Rhino name as having suspicious, unlisted ingredients — suggests the appeal is more than mere curiosity. There are two main reasons, Dr. Sign up for The Roundup, the free daily newsletter about California politics from the editors of Capitol Weekly. Stay up to date on the news you need to know. Sign up below, then look for a confirmation buy cenforce pills email in your inbox. The agency has issued a warning to consumers about the unapproved sexual products that are sometimes sold at gas stations.
Don Grant of the U.K.-based online pharmacy The Independent Pharmacy, explains. “Consumers turn to unlicensed erectile dysfunction (ED) products, like Rhino, primarily due to their low price. Licensed ED products, like Viagra, are often more expensive than their unlicensed counterparts,” Grant told Healthline. “[But] another reason why unlicensed ED products are so popular is because consumers often don’t need to interact with medical professionals to receive the drugs,” he added. For many men, the shame factor could make the prospect of an easy transaction at a gas station more appealing than a doctor’s visit. Rolling up to your local corner store and trying out one of their dubious, but inexpensive, male enhancement products might seem like a bit of fun. But these unregulated supplements pose serious health risks, a recent These products — which are usually marketed under the Rhino brand with names like Krazzy Rhino 25000 and Platinum Rhino 25000 — contain unlisted ingredients that are chemically similar to generic versions of sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis), along with an unknown array of other hidden compounds. That can make for dangerous interactions with other prescription drugs, especially since consumers don’t know what drugs are contained in these over-the-counter products, FDA officials said. “Consumers should… be on alert for products that offer immediate or quick results and that sound too good to be true,” the FDA statement reads.
Claims that sound too good to be true probably are; search for information using noncommercial sites rather than depending on information provided by sellers.” These male enhancement pills are unregulated, illegal, and dangerous. So how exactly do they end up on gas station and convenience store shelves? The answer has to do with the distinction between dietary supplements and drugs.
The FDA regulates drugs before they hit store shelves. Dietary supplements are only monitored and reviewed if they’re “adulterated or misbranded” after they come to market, the That gives the supplement market a bit of a Wild West character: Anything can happen, and you don’t always know what you’re going to get. “Based on the large holes that are built in the regulatory regime for dietary supplements, companies feel comfortable making whatever claims they want to until they can’t anymore,” Andrew Ittleman, an FDA compliance attorney at the firm Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph, told Healthline. Instead, he says, it’s often up to local law enforcement, municipalities, or states to identify and track dangerous supplements hitting the market.
“In a lot of cases, that information gets to the FDA through those local efforts,” he said. Most men probably aren’t expecting sexual miracles from gas station supplements. But the success of these products — 25 of which the FDA identifies under the Rhino name as having suspicious, unlisted ingredients — suggests the appeal is more than mere curiosity. There are two main reasons, Dr. Don Grant of the U.K.-based online pharmacy The Independent Pharmacy, explains. “Consumers turn to unlicensed erectile dysfunction (ED) products, like Rhino, primarily due to their low price. Licensed ED products, like Viagra, are often more expensive than their unlicensed counterparts,” Grant told Healthline. “[But] another reason why unlicensed ED products are so popular is because consumers often don’t need to interact with medical professionals to receive the drugs,” he added. For many men, the shame factor could make the prospect of an easy transaction at a gas station more appealing than a doctor’s visit.
Want to see more stories like this? Sign up for The Roundup, the free daily newsletter about California politics from the editors of Capitol Weekly. Stay up to date on the news you need to know. Sign up below, then look for a confirmation buy cenforce pills email in your inbox. The agency has issued a warning to consumers about the unapproved sexual products that are sometimes sold at gas stations.
Rolling up to your local corner store and trying out one of their dubious, but inexpensive, male enhancement products might seem like a bit of fun. But these unregulated supplements pose serious health risks, a recent These products — which are usually marketed under the Rhino brand with names like Krazzy Rhino 25000 and Platinum Rhino 25000 — contain unlisted ingredients that are chemically similar to generic versions of sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis), along with an unknown array of other hidden compounds. That can make for dangerous interactions with other prescription drugs, especially since consumers don’t know what drugs are contained in these over-the-counter products, FDA officials said. “Consumers should… be on alert for products that offer immediate or quick results and that sound too good to be true,” the FDA statement reads. Claims that sound too good to be true probably are; search for information using noncommercial sites rather than depending on information provided by sellers.” These male enhancement pills are unregulated, illegal, and dangerous.
So how exactly do they end up on gas station and convenience store shelves? The answer has to do with the distinction between dietary supplements and drugs. The FDA regulates drugs before they hit store shelves. Dietary supplements are only monitored and reviewed if they’re “adulterated or misbranded” after they come to market, the That gives the supplement market a bit of a Wild West character: Anything can happen, and you don’t always know what you’re going to get. “Based on the large holes that are built in the regulatory regime for dietary supplements, companies feel comfortable making whatever claims they want to until they can’t anymore,” Andrew Ittleman, an FDA compliance attorney at the firm Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph, told Healthline. Then there’s the high cost of healthcare in the United States. Paying to see a doctor or a specialist if you’re under- or uninsured to get a prescription for Viagra or Cialis might simply be too expensive or onerous. For these consumers, products like Rhino gain extra appeal.