Foreign Product Alert
2007-153
October 25, 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
Xie Gan Wan
| Date of alert |
October 25, 2007 |
| Source of Alert |
U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) |
| Product Name |
Xie Gan Wan |
| Manufacturer / Place of Origin |
Manufacturer Unknown / Origin Unknown |
| Products Description |
Xie Gan Wan is a Proprietary Chinese Medicine with unknown indication for use. |
| Reason for Warning |
U.K. regulators warned consumers not to use the health product Xie Gan Wan, after it was found to contain Aristolochia plant species.
Aristolochia refers to a group of plants that contain aristolochic acid, a naturally occurring toxin that has been reported in the medical literature to cause cancer and kidney failure in humans. |
| Possible Side Effects |
Health risks associated with the use of Aristolochia include cancer and kidney failure. |
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Media Inquiries:
Carole Saindon
Health Canada
(613) 957-1588
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.
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