ARMA - Sin Gang San and New ARMA - Sin Gang San

Foreign Product Alert
2008-162
September 19, 2008
For immediate release

Health Canada is advising consumers not to use the products specified below due to concerns about possible side-effects. More info

Date of alert: August 22, 2008
Source of Alert: Hong Kong Department of Health
Product Names:

• ARMA - Sin Gang San
• New ARMA - Sin Gang San

Manufacturer / Place of Origin: Unknown

Product Description
ARMA - Sin Gang San and New ARMA - Sin Gang San are promoted for weight loss.

Reason for Warning
The Hong Kong Department of Health has warned against the use of ARMA - Sin Gang San and New ARMA - Sin Gang San because they were found to contain the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients sibutramine and fenfluramine.

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

Fenfluramine was previously used in the treatment of obesity but is currently prohibited for sale in Canada.

Possible Side-Effects
Use of sibutramine may cause headaches, increased heart rate and blood pressure, chest pain and stroke. In addition, sibutramine may interact with many psychiatric medications.

Use of fenfluramine may cause drowsiness, dizziness, diarrhea, frequent urination, nausea and dry mouth. Fenfluramine is associated with an increased risk of primary pulmonary hypertension (severe lung disease) if used longer than 3 months, and heart valve disease.

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Media Inquiries:
Health Canada
(613) 957-2983

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

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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 any of the products listed above 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.