Advisories and Recalls

OTTAWA – Health Canada is reminding Canadians that plasma pens are not authorized for sale in Canada and that these devices may pose health risks. Health Canada is also underlining that consumers should be wary of spas promoting plasma pen services.

Affected products Product DIN Product Code Lot Expiry Extraneal 2L/2L Twinbag 02240806 JB9912 W9B28T0 02/29/2020 Extraneal 7.5% 2.5L SYSII 02240806 JB9923LP W9C05T1 03/31/2020

OTTAWA - Health Canada is advising Canadians that Pro Doc Limitée is voluntarily recalling two lots of irbesartan tablets because of a nitrosamine impurity, N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA). The lots were distributed in Quebec only.

Affected products The following products containing Losartan manufactured by Hetero Labs Ltd. Unit 1 are being recalled. Health Canada maintains a complete list of sartan drugs that have been recalled because of nitrosamine impurities on its website.

OTTAWA – Health Canada is concerned about false claims being made in some marketing of homeopathic remedies, known as nosodes, stating that the product can prevent infectious diseases. Nosodes are not, and never have been, approved by Health Canada to be vaccine alternatives. There is no evidence supporting their effectiveness in preventing or treating infectious diseases. No homeopathic products should be promoted as an alternative to vaccines because there are no substitutes for vaccines.

OTTAWA - The Government of Canada is committed to better informing Canadians about the risks of health products that contain opioids. Following a safety review of cough and cold products containing opioids, Health Canada is advising that Canadian children and adolescents (under 18 years of age) should not use cough and cold products containing codeine, hydrocodone and normethadone, as a precautionary measure.

Health Canada is advising consumers that the unauthorized product "Kobayashi Aibon/Eyebon Eyewash" is labelled to contain a prescription drug (aminocaproic acid) and may pose serious health risks. The product is promoted as an eyewash for contact lens users and for the prevention of eye disease.

OTTAWA - Health Canada will be updating its safety review of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) following an increase in reports of Canadian cases. As of January 1, 2019, Health Canada has received reports of 22 confirmed and 22 suspected Canadian cases of BIA-ALCL. In its initial safety review in 2017, Health Canada found that the rate of BIA-ALCL cases was low, with 5 confirmed Canadian cases of BIA-ALCL reported by Canadian manufacturers in the last 10 years. Increased awareness by healthcare professionals and the public about BIA-ALCL is believed to be the largest contributing factor to the increased reporting of cases of BIA-ALCL to Health Canada.

OTTAWA – Health Canada has completed a safety review of hydrochlorothiazide and has found that prolonged use of the drug could increase a person’s risk for non-melanoma skin cancer.

Health Canada is warning Canadians that Ayurvedic products sold by A1 Herbal Ayurvedic Clinic Ltd. may pose serious health risks.

Health Canada is advising Canadians that Panasilver, a product distributed by Activation Products Canada Inc., in Cobourg, Ontario, is not authorized for sale and may pose serious health risks.