Magicream

Starting date:

March 22, 2011

Posting date:

March 22, 2011

Type of communication:

Foreign Product Alert (FPA)

Subcategory:

Natural health products

Source of recall:

Health Canada

Issue:

Undeclared Substance, Product Safety

Audience:

General Public

Identification number:

RA-120001656

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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

Irish Medicines Board (IMB)

Product names

Magicream

Manufacturer / Place of origin

Unknown

Product description

Magicream is a topical skin cream promoted as containing "natural herbal ingredients." It comes packaged in a small yellow tub that bears a yellow label with green text.

Reason for warning

The Irish Medicines Board warned consumers not to buy or use Magicream after it was found to contain undeclared clobetasol propionate and ketoconazole.

Clobetasol propionate is a topical steroidal prescription drug used to treat inflammatory conditions, while ketoconazole is an oral anti-fungal prescription drug used to treat serious systemic and skin fungal infections. Prescription drugs should only be taken under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner.

According to the IMB notice, Magicream is available over the Internet.

Possible side effects

Side effects associated with clobetasol propionate include skin irritation, weakening or degeneration. Topical corticosteroids can be absorbed in sufficient amounts to produce adverse effects, including irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, stomach ulcer, blood disorders, skin, muscle and bone damage, and nervous system disorders.

Side effects associated with ketoconazole include liver dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorders and hormone dysfunction.

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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