OTTAWA,
ON, May 14, 2024 /CNW/ -
Summary
- Product: Unauthorized UMARY Hyaluronic Acid Dietary
Supplement
- Issue: Health products – Undeclared substance
- What to do: Do not use this product. Consult a
health care professional if you have used this product and have
health concerns. Read product labels to verify that health products
have been authorized for sale by Health Canada. Return products to
your local pharmacy for proper disposal.
Images
Affected products
UMARY Hyaluronic Acid Dietary Supplement
Issue
Health Canada tested UMARY brand Hyaluronic Acid and found
the presence of prescription drugs diclofenac and
omeprazole, which were not listed on the label. The Department
is warning consumers not to use this product because these
ingredients may pose serious health risks. This product, which is
labelled in Spanish and does not have a Natural Product Number
(NPN) on the label, is not authorized for sale in Canada, but is being promoted and sold to
consumers in Canada on various
online platforms.
Health Canada will continue to
work with the identified online platforms to stop the advertising
and sale of this unauthorized product.
Selling unauthorized health products in Canada is illegal. Unauthorized health
products have not been approved by Health Canada, which means that
they have not been assessed for safety, efficacy and quality and
may pose a range of serious health risks. For example, they could
contain high-risk ingredients, such as prescription drugs,
additives or contaminants that may or may not be listed on the
label. These ingredients could interact with other medications and
foods. In addition, these products may not actually contain the
active ingredients that consumers would expect them to contain to
help maintain and improve their health.
Prescription drugs should only be used under the advice and
supervision of a health care professional because they are used to
treat specific conditions and may cause serious side effects.
Prescription drugs can only be legally sold to consumers in
Canada with a prescription.
What you should do
- Do not use this product. Consult a health care professional if
you have used this product and have health concerns. Return the
products to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.
- Read product labels to verify that health products have been
authorized for sale by Health Canada. Authorized health products
have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural
Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Drug Number (DIN-HM). You can
also check whether products have been authorized for sale by
searching Health Canada's Drug Product
Database and Licensed Natural Health Product
Database.
- Report any health product-related side
effects or complaints to Health Canada.
- Avoid buying health products from questionable or
untrustworthy websites. Be aware of the risks of buying health
products online.
Background
Diclofenac for oral consumption is a prescription
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to relieve pain
and swelling caused by arthritis. It should be used only under the
supervision of a health care professional. It increases the risk of
serious heart-related events (such as heart attack and stroke),
high blood pressure, stomach or intestinal bleeding or ulcers,
severe kidney or liver problems, and bleeding or clotting problems.
It should not be used by patients who have: severe heart problems;
stomach or intestinal conditions; bleeding disorders; a history of
asthma or allergic-type reactions after taking acetylsalicylic acid
(ASA) or NSAIDs including diclofenac; severe kidney or liver
problems; or high potassium in the blood. It should also not be
used by children less than 16 years of age, or by patients in the
third trimester of pregnancy or who are breastfeeding. Use in the
first and second trimester of pregnancy must be carefully
considered by a doctor, and patients may require increased
monitoring. Diclofenac risks may be higher for patients taking
other medications, as well as elderly patients.
Omeprazole is a prescription drug known as a
proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) used to reduce acidity in the stomach
to help manage some medical conditions, such as stomach ulcers. It
should be used only under the supervision of a health care
professional. It should not be used by patients with allergies to
omeprazole or similar drugs, or by patients who are taking
rilpivirine. Its use in patients under 18 years of age requires
consultation with a health care professional. Omeprazole passes
into breast milk and should not be used by patients who are
pregnant or breastfeeding, unless its use is considered essential
by a doctor. Omeprazole interferes with the absorption of vitamin
B12 from food and may cause a deficiency. Omeprazole may lead to
low blood magnesium, low blood calcium and low blood potassium.
Rare but serious side effects of omeprazole include kidney and
liver problems, fungal infections of the digestive tract, increased
skin sensitivity to sunlight, severe skin reactions, and blood
disorders. Using omeprazole for a long time may increase the risk
of bone fractures and may cause bacterial overgrowth in the
stomach. Omeprazole might interact with other medications and cause
serious adverse reactions. Omeprazole risks may be higher in
elderly patients.
Également disponible en français
SOURCE Health Canada (HC)