Advisories and Recalls

OTTAWA – With the growing availability of fentanyl test strips on store shelves and online, Health Canada would like to remind Canadians of the potential limitations when using fentanyl test strips to detect fentanyl or other deadly substances in street drugs before consuming them.

June 7, 2018 For immediate release

Health Canada is advising Canadians about unauthorized health products that may pose serious health risks. Thetable belowis updated when Health Canada finds unauthorized health products that are promoted for sexual enhancement, weight loss, as a workout aid, or as “poppers,” and that are labelled to contain or have been tested and found to contain dangerous ingredients.

Health Canada is in the process of reviewing the safety of various sunscreen products and will share the results in the coming weeks. The Department will take immediate action and inform Canadians should a safety concern be identified with any sunscreen product sold in Canada.

Pfizer Canada Inc. has notified Health Canada that it has received complaints of broken or chipped pills involving Demulen 30, a prescription birth control pill. Health Canada has previously communicated on similar issues involving two other brands of birth control pills. Health Canada continues to remind women to check their packages of birth control pills and to report problems if they see them. If you notice anything unusual in the package, such as missing or damaged pills, you should return the package to the pharmacy for replacement as soon as possible. Skipping a dose because the pill is missing, or taking a damaged (for example, chipped or fragmented) pill, may increase the risk of pregnancy because less active ingredient may be taken. It is important to get a replacement package as soon as possible to avoid missing any doses.

While enjoying the warm summer weather, don't forget to protect yourself from pesky bugs that bite! Health Canada is reminding Canadians to use bug spray and other insect repellents safely to avoid mosquito and other bug bites.

Health Canada is advising Canadians that it has seized an unauthorized “Botox” product and other unauthorized health products from Arshia Hair Salon and Spa (6062A Yonge Street) in Toronto, ON, because they may pose serious health risks. These products may have been administered as injectable treatments for cosmetic purposes.

Health Canada has seized four unauthorized drugs from Gigi’s Market, 23 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON. The products (Ampicillin, Kamox, Medampi and Medomox) are labelled to contain antibiotic drugs (ampicillin or amoxicillin) that can only be dispensed by a healthcare professional to a patient with a valid prescription. The products listed below have not been evaluated by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness or quality and may pose serious health risks.

Health Canada is advising Canadians that several “Sāj” brand kratom products were seized from two Edmonton stores (Sāj, located at Sherbrooke Plaza, 11839 St Albert Trail, and Jupiter, located on 12841 97th Street NW). Kratom products are not authorized by Health Canada and may pose serious health risks.

These foreign health products have been found by regulators in other countries to contain undeclared drug ingredients.

Health Canada is advising Canadians that one lot of “Throat Coat Lemon Echinacea” herbal tea is being voluntarily recalled by Traditional Medicinals after a company supplier found Salmonella contamination in a tea ingredient (lemon myrtle leaf). An infection caused by Salmonella bacteria may pose serious health risks, particularly for young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weak immune systems.

In light of continuing complaints of quality issues involving certain prescription birth control pills, Health Canada is reminding women to check their packages of birth control pills. If you notice anything unusual in the package, such as missing or damaged pills, you should return the package to the pharmacy for replacement as soon as possible. Skipping a dose because the pill is missing, or taking a damaged (for example, chipped or fragmented) pill, may increase the risk of pregnancy because less active ingredient may be taken. It is important to get a replacement package as soon as possible to avoid missing any doses.

April 12, 2018 For immediate release

Health Canada is advising Canadians that AA Pharma Inc. is voluntarily recalling two lots of Primidone tablets because they contain high levels of lead. The company has indicated that only the lots identified below are affected by this issue.

Health Canada is advising Canadians that one lot of “Organic Traditions Shatavari Powder” is being voluntarily recalled by Advantage Health Matters Inc. Company testing found Salmonella bacteria contamination, which may pose serious health risks. According to Advantage Health Matters Inc., 13 units from the affected lot were distributed. Of the 13 units, only 2 packages, sold at Choices Markets Yaletown (1202 Richards Street) in Vancouver, B.C., have not been recovered.

As part of a planned national sampling and compliance project, Health Canada tested a number of uncertified USB chargers. The following products were found to pose an unacceptable risk of electric shock and fire and are being recalled. This table will be updated if and when new products are recalled.

Health Canada is advising Canadians that "Beyond Yourself Multi Athlete" multivitamin and unauthorized "Multi-Vitamines" sold in bulk were seized from several Shop Santé stores in Quebec because they may pose serious health risks.

OTTAWA - Health Canada is advising Canadians that it will be conducting a safety review of Fibristal (ulipristal acetate), a medication used to treat uterine fibroids in women. Health Canada's review is a result of Canadian and European reports of serious adverse events affecting the liver.

Health Canada is advising Canadians that two versions of the sexual enhancement product “Leopard Miracle of Honey” may pose serious health risks. Both versions are labelled as being approved by Health Canada, with NPN 80073650. Health Canada’s testing found that both versions of the product contain the undeclared prescription drug sildenafil. The product was not authorized to contain this prescription drug. Health Canada seized the products from two Ontario convenience stores located in Woodbridge, ON, and suspended the product licence.