HSA issues warning for 3 products containing banned weight loss medicine, steroids
One of the products, MOFA COFFEE, contains a prescription-only weight loss medicine that is banned in Singapore due to increased risks of heart attack and stroke.
The Health Sciences Authority has warned members of the public not to purchase or consume "‘LORENXO DELICIOUS PURE CHOCOLATE SUPPLEMENT" and "MOFA COFFEE". (Photo: Health Sciences Authority)
SINGAPORE: Members of the public have been warned by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) against buying several products that were found to contain "potent medicinal ingredients".
The products contain substances including erectile dysfunction medicine tadalafil, steroids and sibutramine, a substance banned in Singapore because of an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The affected products are: "LORENXO DELICIOUS PURE CHOCOLATE SUPPLEMENT", "DND Rx9" and "MOFA COFFEE". Two consumers developed adverse effects after taking the products, HSA said in a media release.
"LORENXO DELICIOUS PURE CHOCOLATE SUPPLEMENT" and "MOFA COFFEE" were sold on local online e-commerce and social media platforms including Carousell, Qoo10, Shopee and Facebook, said HSA.
The authority added that it has worked with the platform adminstrators to remove the affected listings. It has also alerted its Malaysian counterpart to "DND Rx9" and "MOFA COFFEE", which were purchased or sourced from Malaysia.
SEVERE HEADACHES
"‘LORENXO DELICIOUS PURE CHOCOLATE SUPPLEMENT" was marketed online as a dietary supplement with the false claim that it contained only natural ingredients, said HSA.
"A man in his 30s experienced severe headaches after taking the product, which he purchased from a local e-commerce platform."
His doctor diagnosed the headaches to be an adverse effect associated with a potent medicinal ingredient in the product. After subsequent tests by HSA, it was found to be tadalafil, a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction that should only be given under medical supervision.
Use of the drug without proper medical supervision is dangerous, said HSA. It can increase the risk of serious adverse effects, including heart attacks, stroke, headaches, migraines, irregular heart rate and priapism (painful and exceedingly long erections).
CUSHING'S SYNDROME DEVELOPED AFTER TAKING PILLS
After taking "DND Rx9" pills for several months for gout, a man in his 30s developed Cushing’s syndrome, a serious medical condition caused by the prolonged use of steroids. It is characterised by a round face or ‘moon face’ appearance.
He had obtained the product by courier from Malaysia via the seller’s website.
Based on his condition, his doctor suspected that the product could be adulterated with steroids.
HSA tested ‘DND Rx9’ and found that it contained potent steroids dexamethasone and prednisolone, and a painkiller called diclofenac.
Long-term unsupervised use of such steroids can also cause increased blood sugar levels, which could lead to diabetes and other serious adverse effects. Unsupervised use of diclofenac can lead to damage and bleeding of the stomach, said HSA.
BANNED WEIGHT LOSS MEDICINE FOUND IN COFFEE
Noticing anomalies in the scanned images of two parcels from Malaysia, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at Changi Airfreight Centre conducted further checks.
They found consignments declared as ‘MOFA COFFEE’ and referred the parcels to HSA for further investigation.
The product was labelled to aid appetite suppression and to contain natural ingredients such as coffee extract, white kidney bean extract and garcinia cambogia.
However, HSA found that it contained high levels of sibutramine, a substance which has been banned in Singapore since 2010.
The prescription-only weight loss medicine has an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Other serious health consequences include heart problems and central nervous system disorders like psychosis and hallucinations.
In 2019, a consumer experienced an extremely fast heart rate and became unconscious after taking a product adulterated with sibutramine.
She was resuscitated and suffered debilitating consequences requiring the implantation of a defibrillator to help her heart to function, said HSA.
ADVISORY TO CONSUMERS
The HSA warned consumers who are taking "‘DND Rx9" to see a doctor as soon as possible.
"Sudden stopping of the product without medical supervision may result in worsening of underlying medical conditions or other serious withdrawal conditions such as adrenal insufficiency," said HSA.
Consumers should also stop taking the other two products immediately and consult a doctor if they feel unwell or are concerned about their health.
The authority also advised the public to exercise caution when buying products from unknown or unfamiliar sources and to be wary of products that claim to be "herbal" or "natural".
Sellers and suppliers must stop selling these products immediately. HSA warned that it would not hesitate to take "stern enforcement actions" against those selling and supplying products found to be adulterated with banned substances or potent ingredients.
Offenders can be fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,485), jailed up to two years, or both.
Members of the public who have information about the sale and supply of these products can contact HSA's Enforcement Branch at 6866 3485 or through email at hsa_is [at] hsa.gov.sg.
