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Archived – 999 Radix Notoginseng, Batch no. 0807021
- Starting date:
- February 25, 2009
- Posting date:
- February 25, 2009
- Type of communication:
- Foreign Product Alert (FPA)
- Subcategory:
- Natural health products
- Source of recall:
- Health Canada
- Issue:
- Product Safety, Undeclared Substance
- Audience:
- General Public
- Identification number:
- RA-120001033
These products are not authorized for sale in Canada and have not been found in the Canadian marketplace, but it is possible they may have been brought into the country by travellers or purchased over the Internet.
Source of alert
Singapore Health Sciences Authority
Product name
999 Radix Notoginseng, Batch no. 0807021
Manufacturer / Place of origin
Sanji Medical & Pharmaceutical Co Ltd / China
Product description
999 Radix Notoginseng comes as a powder in 2 g bags. The product's specific use, or indication, is unknown.
Reason for warning
The Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA) recalled batch# 0807021 of the product 999 Radix Notoginseng after it was found to contain arsenic at levels above the acceptable limit outlined in the HSA's Health Supplements Guidelines.
Ingestion of excessive amounts of arsenic, a heavy metal, poses serious health risks because it may accumulate in vital organs of the body. Children are most susceptible to the toxic effects of heavy metals.
Possible side effects
The toxic effects of arsenic include skin and lung cancers, heart and lung diseases, and brain damage.
What you should do
Canadians who have this product are advised not to use it, and should consult with a health care professional if they have concerns about their health related to the use of this product.
Health Canada advises Canadians to contact the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675 if they find the product listed above in the Canadian marketplace.
Background
Drugs and natural health products that are authorized for sale in Canada will have either an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) on the label. These numbers indicate that the products have been assessed by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness and quality.
As of the date of this posting, no adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the use of this product have been reported in Canada.
Report a health or safety concern
- Call toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.
- Visit Health Canada's Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax.
Media enquiries
Health Canada
613-957-2983
Public enquiries
613-957-2991
1-866-225-0709
Images
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