Health Canada warns that products sold by Dutta Health Centre-Ayurvedic Clinic in Surrey, B.C., may pose health risks

Starting date:

November 26, 2019

Type of communication:

Advisory

Subcategory:

Natural health products

Source of recall:

Health Canada

Issue:

Important Safety Information

Audience:

General Public

Identification number:

RA-71700

Last updated: 2019-12-23

• 
  Issue
• 
  What you should do
• 
  Who is affected
• 
  Background
• 
  Affected products
• 
  Media enquiries
• 
  Public enquiries
• 
  What Health Canada is doing
• 
  Images

Issue

UPDATE: December 23, 2019

Health Canada is warning Canadians about another product seized from Dutta Health Centre-Ayurvedic Clinic. Testing found the product, named Vacha capsules, contains high levels of alpha-asarone and beta-asarone, which may pose serious health risks. Testing also found high levels of alpha-asarone and beta-asarone in two of the products that Health Canada warned Canadians about on November 26, 2019 (Brain Tab tablets and Yograj Guggul capsules) because of high levels of lead and mercury.

The sections below have been updated with this new information. Health Canada continues to advise that all products sold by Dutta Health Centre-Ayurvedic Clinic may pose health risks, and to advise that consumers should stop using them.

ORIGINAL ADVISORY: November 26, 2019

OTTAWA - Health Canada is warning Canadians that Ayurvedic products sold by Dutta Health Centre-Ayurvedic Clinic in Surrey, British Columbia (Unit 109 - 12888 80th Avenue), may pose health risks.

Health Canada testing of some of the Ayurvedic products from the clinic found that they contained high levels of lead and mercury. Lead and mercury may pose serious health risks when consumed in excessive amounts. Children, pregnant women and breastfeeding women are most susceptible to their toxic effects.

The testing was prompted by a report from the Fraser Health Authority in British Columbia of a case of lead poisoning of a patient who had been using Ayurvedic products from the clinic.

Ayurvedic medicinal products are used in traditional Indian healing practice and are often imported from India. Improper manufacturing processes may result in dangerously high levels of heavy metals in the final product, which, when consumed, may accumulate in vital organs and cause serious health effects.

Health Canada's inspection of the clinic also identified unauthorized natural health products that were being imported and sold, and incomplete clinic records that would impede the recall of any of its products. At Health Canada's request, the clinic has stopped selling the affected Ayurvedic products and all unlicensed natural health products.

Selling unauthorized health products is illegal in Canada. Health products that have not been authorized by Health Canada have not been assessed for safety, effectiveness and quality, and may pose serious health risks. For example, unauthorized health products may be contaminated, contain dangerous ingredients not listed on the label, or not contain the ingredient shown on the label.

The clinic was also found to be operating without the necessary Health Canada site licence for importing natural health products. Operating without the required licence is a serious contravention of the Natural Health Products Regulations. A site licence indicates that a company has processes and procedures in place that meet Health Canada's requirements, including those related to tracking and recalling health products when risks to health are identified.

What you should do

• Stop using products from the Dutta Health Centre-Ayurvedic Clinic. Consult your health care professional if you have used any products from this clinic and have health concerns.
• Read product labels to verify that health products have been authorized for sale by Health Canada. Authorized health products have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Drug Number (DIN-HM). You can also check whether products have been authorized for sale by searching Health Canada's Drug Product Database and Licensed Natural Health Product Database.
• Report any health product-related adverse reactions or complaints to Health Canada.

Who is affected

• Consumers who have bought or are using products from Dutta Health Centre-Ayurvedic Clinic.

Background

Alpha-asarone and Beta-asarone are chemicals found in certain plants. Ingesting high amounts can be toxic, and can lead to nausea, prolonged vomiting (for several hours), and a faster-than-normal heart rate, which can be life threatening. Long-term consumption may also cause liver cancer and heart failure.  

Lead is a heavy metal that poses serious health risks. Ingestion of excessive amounts of lead may result in an accumulation of the metal in vital organs of the body. Children, pregnant women and breastfeeding women are most susceptible to the toxic effects of heavy metals. The toxic effects of lead include abdominal pain, anemia, changes in blood pressure, reproductive disorders such as miscarriage, weakness, concentration problems, weight loss, insomnia, dizziness, and kidney and brain damage.

Mercury is a heavy metal that poses serious health risks. Ingestion of excessive amounts of mercury may result in an accumulation of the metal in vital organs of the body. Children, pregnant women and breastfeeding women are most susceptible to the toxic effects of heavy metals. The toxic effects of mercury include irritability, tremors, memory loss, insomnia, concentration problems, and kidney and brain damage.

Affected products

Product description

Photo(s)	Product or Ingredient(s)	Contaminant
	Brain Tab tablets	Lead Alpha-asarone Beta-asarone
	Mucuna powder (patients may have received this product in powder form or in capsules)	Lead Mercury
	Yograj Guggul capsules	Lead Mercury Alpha-asarone Beta-asarone
	Vacha capsules	Alpha-asarone Beta-asarone

Media enquiries

Health Canada

(613) 957-2983
hc.media.sc@canada.ca

Public enquiries

(613) 957-2991

1-866 225-0709

What Health Canada is doing

Health Canada seized affected Ayurvedic products that were found on site at the clinic and confirmed that the clinic has stopped selling the affected Ayurvedic products and all unauthorized products. The Department continues to work closely with the Fraser Health Authority to share information and coordinate efforts on clinic inspections and product testing. Health Canada is working with the Canada Border Services Agency to help prevent the importation of unauthorized products. Should additional safety concerns be identified, Health Canada will take appropriate action and inform Canadians as necessary.

Images

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