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| By Claire Biddiscombe Producer: Veronica Miles |
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.
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.
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."
"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."
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.
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. |
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Health
Canada Warns Consumers Not to Use Eros Fire or Any Unauthorized Products
Promoted to Enhance Sexual Performance
