Bevidan

Foreign Product Alert
2009-34
March 5, 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

Date of alert: March 5, 2009
Source of Alert: Hong Kong Department of Health
Product Names: Bevidan
Manufacturer / Place of Origin: Lei Ha Ming Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, Hamburg, Germany

Product Description
Bevidan is promoted as "high potency nutrition" for the treatment of arthritic and neuropathic pain.

The product comes in blister packs of four capsules. According to the product label, each capsule contains 300mg of monophosphoric ester B1 vitamin, 200mg of pyridoxine HCl and 250 mcg of cyanocobalamin.

Health Canada is aware that there may be other products on the market with the same name but not necessarily the same ingredients or directions for use. The information in this alert refers only to the product labelled as above. Should Health Canada find this product on the Canadian market, or other similar products that may pose a health risk, Health Canada will inform Canadians and take appropriate action.

Reason for Warning
The Hong Kong Department of Health warned consumers not to buy or use the product Bevidan after it was found to contain undeclared prednisolone and mefenamic acid.

Prednisolone is a steroidal prescription drug used to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and allergic reactions. Mefenamic acid is a prescription drug in the family known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It is use to treat pain, fever and inflammation. Prednisolone and mefenamic acid should only be taken under the supervision of a health care practitioner.

Possible Side-Effects
Side-effects associated with prednisolone include irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, stomach ulcer, blood disorders, skin, muscle and bone damage, and nervous system disorders.

Side-effects associated with mefenamic acid include gastrointestinal bleeding, anemia, kidney failure and reduced blood-clotting ability.

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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.