Foreign Product Alert

2007-09
February 1, 2007
For immediate release

Health Canada is advising consumers not to use the following product listed in the table below due to concerns about possible side-effects. More info

Power 58; Platinum Power 58; Ehanix; Jolex; Onyo; Deguozonghengtianxia

Date of alert	February 1, 2007
Source of Alert	Hong Kong Department of Health
Product Names	Power 58; Platinum Power 58; Ehanix; Jolex; Onyo; Deguozonghengtianxia
Manufacturer / Place of Origin	Unknown/China
Products Description	Power 58, Platinum Power 58, Ehanix; Jolex, Onyo, Deguozonghengtianxia are marketed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
Power 58: tablets packaged in a yellow box with black lettering; Platinum Power 58: Two blue-and-white tablets packaged in a grey box; Ehanix: Two green tablets packaged in a blue-and-white box; Jolex: Two red tablets packaged in a red-and-white box featuring the “male” symbol; Onyo: One cream-coloured tablet in a predominantly orange-coloured box with red lettering; Deguozonghengtianxia: Two blue-and-white tablets in a predominantly orange-coloured box with black and red lettering.
Reason for Warning	On November 17, 2006, the Hong Kong Department of Health issued a press release advising the public not to use the herbal products Power 58, Platinum Power 58, Ehanix, Jolex, Onyo, and Deguozonghengtianxia because they contained acetildenafil. Acetildenafil is an analogue of sildenafil, a prescription medication indicated for treatment of erectile dysfunction.
Possible Side Effects	Acetildenafil may be associated with serious health risks similar to those associated with sildenafil, especially for patients with existing medical conditions such as heart problems, who are taking heart medications, or who may be at risk for strokes. Sildenafil has also been associated with serious side-effects including sudden vision loss, penile tissue damage and urinary tract infection.

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Media Inquiries:
Paul Duchesne
Health Canada
(613) 954-4807

This product is not authorized for sale in Canada and has not been found in the Canadian marketplace. However, it is possible this product could be purchased by Canadians travelling abroad or has been brought into Canada through personal importation by travellers or purchased over the Internet.

Canadians who have this product are advised not to use it, and should consult with a health care professional if they have concerns about their health related to the use of this product.

Drugs and natural health products that are authorized for sale in Canada will have either an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) on the label. These numbers indicate that the products have been assessed by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness and quality.

Health Canada advises Canadians to contact the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675 if they find the product listed in the table in the Canadian marketplace.

For more information about the information contained in this advisory, please contact Health Canada's public inquiries line at (613) 957-2991 or toll-free at 1-866-225-0709.

As of the date of this posting, no adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the use of this product have been reported in Canada.