OTTAWA
| Nov. 14, 2008 — Canadian
consumer, beware — you may have more than you bargained for in your medicine
cabinet.
Is that weight loss supplement safe? How about that little pill you
pop for — ahem —an edge in the bedroom?
"But I bought it in Canada," you protest. "Someone must have checked
it out. Right?"
Wrong.
"I think a lot of people assume that if things are offered for
sale that they are safe," says Barry Power, director of practice
development with the Canadian Pharmacists' Association.
 |
| The makers of Eros Fire claim it enhances sexual
pleasure. |
But, Power says, many supplements slip through the cracks of government
regulations and land on the shelves of Canadian retailers. The problem
with these government-labelled "natural health products" is
that they can have an adverse effect when combined with other medications
or even on their own. These effects are not always advertised.
Where there's smoke...
In 2007, Health Canada issued five advisories about weight loss products,
and 10 on sexual enhancement products, according to Philippe Laroche,
a Health Canada spokesperson.
On Oct. 28, the department published an advisory on Eros
Fire, an American product touted to improve sexual performance. The warning
was triggered by a complaint made to the department about side effects
of Eros Fire, Laroche states in an e-mail.
| 'Pills such as Eros Fire exist
in a regulatory grey zone.' |
In a statement published on its website, Health Canada says the recall
was based on the discovery of an ingredient in Eros Fire that is not
listed on the label — and has not yet been approved for use in Canada.
The drug in question, xanthoanthrafil, is similar to sildenafil, the
active ingredient in Viagra, which is available in Canada by prescription
only.
The presence of xanthoanthrafil in the capsules is the result of a supplier
error, says Doss Cunningham, CEO of Woodbolt, the company that produces
the Eros line. Cunningham says he believes only one batch of Eros Fire
was tainted, and adds that once the problem has been cleared up, Woodbolt
intends to re-market the product in its "original intended form."
 |
| Classixxx in South Ottawa sells more than just
sexual health supplements. |
"The problem is that we relied on a supplier's information . .
. to be true," he adds. "We are investigating the supplier
and looking to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Still, pills such as Eros Fire exist in a regulatory grey zone. Most
of these products can enter the country untested because they are designated
as supplements, not medications, Power says, and therefore Health Canada
considers them to be "natural health products," under regulations
enacted at the beginning of 2004.
Some supplements, however, contain unlisted ingredients, such as blood
thinners and, in the case of sexual enhancement products, compounds like
xanthoanthrafil, which can wreak havoc if used without first consulting
a doctor.
"If Viagra and related medications are taken by people who are
also taking certain other medications it can result in serious harm,
including death," Power says.
Sexy results
Even though these products have only been on the market for a few years,
they have quickly gained a following among some consumers, says Roger
Léger, general manager of Classixxx, a chain of Ottawa
sex shops. He estimates that in the one year Classixxx has carried Eros
Fire, it has sold several hundred single-dose packages of that brand
alone.
The popularity of such supplements, Léger thinks, largely owes
to the fact that they are easy alternatives to products, such as Viagra,
that are only available through a doctor.
"They do the same job," he says. "[The supplements are]
more convenient to pick up, buy, I guess. You don't need a prescription."
| 'If Viagra and related medications
are taken by people who are also taking certain other medications
it can result in serious harm, including death.' |
But customer satisfaction hasn't come without problems. Sexual enhancement
supplements are the only products that Health Canada has recalled from
Classixxx, Léger says, and he estimates that the stores have had
five or six products removed from their shelves since they began carrying
them.
"It's when they become very popular," Léger says. "That's
when they get pulled."
Most of these cases involved a letter from Health Canada, or a phone
call from the Classixxx distributor, but in one memorable case, Léger
says, three government agents swept in to confiscate a product, accompanied
by a police officer.
As of Nov. 12, Léger says he has received no communication from either
the government or his distributor about Eros Fire.
Uncharted waters
Concerned with the lack of government testing for these products, Shelley
Taylor has chosen not to stock supplements at her Ottawa sex shop, Venus
Envy.
"It's a big concern that someone might be taking something that
might either be totally bogus, or over and above being bogus might be
dangerous," Taylor says.
Still, she says, she receives several calls each week from people wanting
to know if she carries such supplements.
 |
| For almost any ailment imaginable, there's a health
supplement available. |
The overall interest in Eros Fire and related products is likely the
result of people looking for a "quick fix" to a problem, Power
says. He warns that consumers with this mentality, combined with the
low self-esteem associated with some of the conditions that these supplements
cater to, can end up being vulnerable to unscrupulous practices.
"Generally, I think people who are looking for products to lose
weight or for sexual enhancements or lifestyle modifications need to
be aware that they're easy prey for people who are looking to make a
quick buck from somebody else's problems," Power says.
However, Power says new legislation has been enacted that will require
manufacturers of natural health products to submit claims about the products'
intended use and evidence to support them.
But, he continues, the kinds of supplements that are currently being
recalled could continue to pass unquestioned through the system, simply
because the sheer volume of products outstrips the government's capacity
to carry out inspections.
Sex on the web
The waters are even murkier on the Internet, where people tend to gravitate
because of its ease and anonymity, Taylor says. She estimates that the
online store is responsible for 15 to 20 per cent of Venus Envy's business.
"I think sometimes when we see something online, we believe it," Taylor
says.
Health Canada continues to be wary of online medication purchases, Laroche
states, and warns in an e-mail about the dangers of counterfeit products
and overseas companies.
"While legitimate online Canadian businesses are an option to consider,
the online purchase of any drug and other health products poses the potential
for serious health risks," Laroche writes, "especially when
these products are shipped directly to Canadian consumers from sources
outside of Canada."
If it is necessary to purchase medications or supplements online, Power
says, consumers should make an effort to verify the source of the products
and try to deal only with reputable, preferably Canadian, companies.
Ultimately, he adds, going through the normal avenues of health care
is probably the safest path when dealing with these supplements. 
|
Health
Canada Warns Consumers Not to Use Eros Fire or Any Unauthorized Products
Promoted to Enhance Sexual Performance