Archived - Xian Zhi Wei II

Starting date:

April 29, 2008

Posting date:

April 29, 2008

Type of communication:

Foreign Product Alert (FPA)

Subcategory:

Drugs

Source of recall:

Health Canada

Issue:

Unauthorized products, Undeclared Substance, Product Safety

Audience:

General Public

Identification number:

RA-12000718

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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

Hong Kong Department of Health

Product names

Xian Zhi Wei II

Manufacturer / Place of origin

Minami Healthy Foods Inc./Japan

Product description

Xian Zhi Wei II is marketed as a slimming product. It is sold in capsule form.

Reason for warning

The Hong Kong Department of Health advised the public not to use the product Xian Zhi Wei II because it was found to contain sibutramine and phenolphthalein, which are not meant for self-care and may cause serious side effects.

Sibutramine is a prescription drug used for treating obesity, and should only be taken under the supervision of a health care professional. Phenolphthalein was previously used in over-the-counter laxative preparations, but is now prohibited in Canada as it may cause cancer. Individuals who may have been exposed to phenolphthalein should consult with their health practitioner.

Possible side effects

Use of sibutramine may cause headaches, increased heart rate and blood pressure, chest pain, and stroke. Abuse of phenolphthalein-containing laxatives has been associated with stomach and intestinal bleeding, anemia, pancreatitis, and multiple organ damage (including liver failure) in cases of massive overdose.

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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