Show Party [shou-shen pai*]

Foreign Product Alert
2009-208
December 22, 2009
For immediate release

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

Source of Alert

Hong Kong Department of Health

Product Names

Show Party [shou-shen pai*]
*shou-shen pai is a translation of Chinese characters that appear on the product label.

Manufacturer / Place of Origin

Manufactured by USA Linsdupont Co. Ltd.
Place of origin is unknown.

Product Description

Show Party [shou-shen pai] is promoted as a "super slim capsule" used for weight loss.

Reason for Warning

The Hong Kong Department of Health warned consumers not to buy or consume Show Party [shou-shen pai] after it was found to contain undeclared sibutramine and phenolphthalein.

Sibutramine is a prescription drug used to treat obesity. It should only be taken under the supervision of a health care practitioner.

Phenolphthalein was previously used as a laxative but is no longer authorized for sale in Canada because it may cause cancer.

Possible Side-Effects

Side-effects associated with sibutramine include increased blood pressure and heart rate, dry mouth, difficulty sleeping and constipation.

In addition to an increased risk of cancer, side-effects associated with phenolphthalein include decreased blood pressure, skin rash and gastrointestinal bleeding.

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Media Enquiries:
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 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.