Hanguo shoushen yihao (meiti xing)

Foreign Product Alert
2008-160
September 19, 2008
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

Date of alert: September 19, 2008
Source of Alert: Hong Kong Department of Health
Product Names: Hanguo shoushen yihao (meiti xing)
English translation: Number One Korean Slimmer (Body Enhancer Brand)
Manufacturer / Place of Origin: Unknown

Product Description
Hanguo shoushen yihao (meiti xing) is promoted for weight loss.

Reason for Warning
The Hong Kong Department of Health has warned against the use of Hanguo shoushen yihao (meiti xing) because it was found to contain the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredient sibutramine.

Sibutramine is a prescription drug used in the treatment of obesity and it should only be used under the supervision of a health care professional.

Possible Side-Effects
Unsupervised use of sibutramine may cause headaches, increased heart rate and blood pressure, chest pain and stroke.

-30-

---

Media Inquiries:
Health Canada
(613) 957-2983

For more details on these Foreign Product Alerts, please visit the Health Canada Web site.

---

These products are not authorized for sale in Canada and have not been found in the Canadian marketplace, but it is possible they may have been brought into the country 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.