Unauthorized sexual enhancement products seized at four Toronto retail locations may pose serious health risks

Starting date:

November 1, 2017

Posting date:

November 1, 2017

Type of communication:

Advisory

Subcategory:

Natural health products

Source of recall:

Health Canada

Identification number:

RA-64178

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

Update – November 1, 2017

This advisory has been updated to reflect additional products seized from these retailers that have been tested and found to contain dangerous ingredients.

Update – October 6, 2017

This advisory has been updated to reflect additional products seized from these retailers that have been tested and found to contain dangerous ingredients.

Update – August 17, 2017

This advisory has been updated to reflect additional unauthorized products seized from these retailers.

Original Advisory – August 4, 2017

Issue

Health Canada is advising Canadians that multiple unauthorized sexual enhancement products seized from four Toronto retail locations may pose serious risks to health.

What you should do

• Stop using these products. Consult with your health care professional if you have used any of these products 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 adverse events to health products to Health Canada by calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345, or by reporting online, by mail or by fax.
• Report complaints about health products to Health Canada by calling toll-free at 1-800-267-9675, or complete an online complaint form.

Who is affected

Consumers who have bought or used any of these products.

Affected products

The following unauthorized products were seized as they are labelled or tested and found to contain the ingredients listed below:

The following unauthorized products were also seized by Health Canada. The Department previously seized unauthorized products with similar packaging from other retailers because they were tested and found to contain a prescription drug:

Background

Sildenafil and tadalafil are prescription drug ingredients. Products containing these ingredients should be used only under the supervision of a health care practitioner. Sildenafil and tadalafil should not be used by individuals taking any kind of nitrate drug (such as nitroglycerine) as it can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure. Individuals with heart problems are at increased risk of cardiovascular side effects such as heart attack, stroke, chest pain, high blood pressure and abnormal heartbeat. Other side effects include headache, facial flushing, indigestion, dizziness, abnormal vision and hearing loss.

Aminotadalafil is an unauthorized substance similar to tadalafil and may pose similar health risks.

Desmethyl carbodenafil and dithiodesmethyl carbodenafil are unauthorized substances similar to sildenafil and may pose similar health risks.

Yohimbine is a prescription drug and should be used only under the supervision of a health care professional. Yohimbine is derived from yohimbe, a bark extract. The use of yohimbine or yohimbe may result in serious adverse reactions, particularly in people with high blood pressure, or heart, kidney or liver disease. Side effects include increased blood pressure and heart rate, anxiety, dizziness, tremors, headache, nausea and sleep disorders. It should not be used by children, or pregnant or nursing women.

Media enquiries

Health Canada

(613) 957-2983

Public enquiries

(613) 957-2991

1-866 225-0709

What Health Canada is doing

Health Canada seized the unauthorized products from the retail locations. Should additional retailers or distributors be identified, Health Canada will take appropriate action and inform Canadians as necessary.

Images

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