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Warning over Potentially Dangerous Chinese Medicines

Notice type: Advisory

Date: 22/08/2013

  

Product name or type:
Various Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs)

Problem Or Issue:
The IMB has been made aware of a recent warning, issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the medicines regulatory agency in the UK. 

The warning concerns potentially dangerous Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs), which were tested by the Hong Kong and Swedish Medicines Agencies and found to contain high levels of heavy metals. The medicines are listed as follows:

Bak Foong Pills
Hairegenerator
Niu-Huang Chieh-Tu-Pien
Divya Kaishore Guggul
Chandraprabha Vati

To date, the listed products have not been identified on the Irish market. 

While it has been suggested that there is some degree of availability of these TCMs online, the IMB advises that consumers exercise caution in purchasing any medicines from the internet, as it is an unregulated source for medicines and there can be no guarantees that items bought online are effective, safe, or of an acceptable standard or quality. In addition, the IMB is particularly concerned about the potential risks for patient health associated with online purchase of any medicine in relation to any attempt to self medicate.

Background Information Or Related Documents:
Warning over Potentially Dangerous Chinese Medicines Document

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