Products found to contain undeclared medicines
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| The United States: Public Notification: “Strawberry Balance” Contains Hidden Drug Ingredient Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein |
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FDA is advising consumers not to purchase or use “Strawberry Balance,” a product for weight loss sold on various websites and some retail stores. FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that “Strawberry Balance” contains sibutramine. Sibutramine is a controlled substance that was removed from the US market in October 2010 for safety reasons. The product poses a threat to consumers because sibutramine is known to substantially increase blood pressure and/or pulse rate in some patients and may present a significant risk for patients with a history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias or stroke. This product may also interact in life-threatening ways with other medications a consumer may be taking. Laboratory analysis also confirmed that “Strawberry Balance” contains phenolphthalein. Phenolphthalein was an ingredient in some over-the-counter (OTC) laxative products until 1999 when FDA reclassified the ingredient as “not generally recognized as safe and effective.” Consumers should stop using this product immediately and throw it away. Consumers who have experienced any negative side effects should consult a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Please refer to the following website in FDA for details:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/../ucm358769.htm
In Hong Kong, the above product is not a registered pharmaceutical product.
Ends/ Friday, June 28, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:30 |
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