Public advisory

Unauthorized sexual enhancement products may pose serious health risks

Last updated

Summary

Product
Various unauthorized health products promoted for sexual enhancement
Issue
Health products - Unauthorized product
What to do

Stop using these products and consult your health care professional if you have health concerns. Report these or any unauthorized health products to Health Canada.

Affected products

Unauthorized sexual enhancement products
Product Hazard Identified Company Action Taken Date Added
3800 Hard Rock Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain tadalafil Family Mart
930 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
7K Labelled to contain yohimbe Family Mart
930 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
7K Max Power Labelled to contain yohimbe Family Mart
930 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Black Panther Labelled to contain yohimbe Family Mart
930 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Rhino 7 Platinum 5000 Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain sildenafil and yohimbe Family Mart
930 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Arize Product tested by Health Canada and found to contain tadalafil or nortadalafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Blue Rhino Super Long Lasting Extreme 1000K Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain sildenafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Gold Lion Honey Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain sildenafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Oh Baby! Platinum Product tested by Health Canada and found to contain sildenafil and tadalafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Pink Pussycat Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain hydroxythiohomosildenafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Pink Pussycat Honey Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain sildenafil and tadalafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Rhino 69 Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain sildenafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Rhino 69 (Triple) Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain sildenafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
Rhino 70000 Product with similar packaging (previously seized) was tested and found to contain sildenafil Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21
VIP GO Rhino 69K Labelled to contain yohimbe Carrefour du Sexe
1735 boul. Curé-Labelle
Laval, QC
Seized from the retail location 2023-03-21

Issue

Health Canada is advising about unauthorized sexual enhancement products that may pose serious health risks. The products are labelled to contain or have been tested and found to contain dangerous ingredients. Health Canada updates the table when it finds unauthorized health products for sexual enhancement. Links to previous tables with affected products are also available below.

Unauthorized health products have not been approved by Health Canada, which means that they have not been assessed for safety, effectiveness and quality. Unauthorized health products can pose many health dangers, including:

  • They may contain ingredients not listed on the label. This includes ingredients like prescription drugs, possibly at doses exceeding maximum recommended amounts. Prescription drugs should be taken only under the supervision of a health professional because they may cause serious side effects. Using a product that contains ingredients that the consumer is not aware of increases the chance of dangerous allergies and interactions with other medications and foods.
  • The label may indicate a dangerous ingredient or combination of ingredients. For example, it could list a drug that should be available only by prescription from a health care professional, or a combination of ingredients that Health Canada does not permit because of serious health risks.

What you should do

Health Canada maintains this page so that the public can easily identify products they may have purchased and take appropriate action. You are encouraged to check back regularly for updates. Advisories on safety issues involving other types of products are available in the recalls and safety alerts database.

What companies should know:

  • Selling unauthorized health products in Canada is illegal.
  • When Health Canada identifies unauthorized products that may pose serious health risks, Health Canada takes appropriate action to prevent further distribution and informs the public. This includes working with the Canada Border Services Agency to help prevent further importation of unauthorized products.

Additional information

Background

Sildenafil is a prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and should be used only under the supervision of a health care professional. It should not be used by individuals taking any kind of nitrate drug (e.g. 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 possible side effects include headache, facial flushing, indigestion, dizziness, abnormal vision, and hearing loss. Desmethyl carbodenafil and dithiodesmethyl carbodenafil, and hydroxythiohomosildenafil are unauthorized substances that are similar to sildenafil and may pose similar health risks.

Tadalafil is a prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and should be used only under the supervision of a health care professional. It should not be used by individuals taking any kind of nitrate drug (e.g., nitroglycerine) since 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 possible side effects include headache, facial flushing, indigestion, dizziness, abnormal vision, and hearing loss. Nortadalafil is an unauthorized substance that is similar to tadalafil 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 people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those who have liver, heart, or kidney disease (especially people with a history of stomach or intestinal ulcers), or by people with psychiatric conditions.

Previous recalls or alerts

Details
Original published date:
Alert / recall type
Public advisory
Category
Health products - Drugs
Companies
Published by
Health Canada
Audience
General public
Identification number
RA-73357
Media and public enquiries

Media enquiries

Health Canada
613-957-2983
media@hc-sc.gc.ca

Public enquiries

(613) 957-2991
1-866-225-0709
info@hc-sc.gc.ca

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