Aristolochia
  Bust enhancers
  Chinese Diet
  Cynarol
  Echinacea
  Ephedra
  Ephedra extra
  Kava kava
  Metabolife 356
  St John's Wort
  Toxic herbs

  Remedies?
  Veromax

  General
  U.S.
  Canadian
  Anti-Quackery Ring

Dietfraud
  Broadsheet

...in Action
  Odds'n'Ends
  Patch Scams
  Supplements
  Cases Against
  Cellasene Lawsuit

Recalls
   & Alerts

Children
   & Teens

Action Line
  Latest News
  File Complaints
  External Search
  Contact Us!

Resources...
  Book Reviews
  Links to the Web

Our Sponsors

Toronto Scams

4936 Yonge St.

Aebion Diet Patch

Aebion Tea

1265 Morningside Ave

Macerat scam

Operation Cure.all

Intnl Agreement

FDA

FTC

NCAHF

Quackwatch

Report on NHPD

Warning!!! Herbal Products May Be Harmful to Your Health Would you take something that you knew was impure, contaminated, potentially deadly because it was a "natural product"? Million of people have been lured into believing that herbal products are safe. Nothing could be further than the truth. E-mail us at HerbalWatch.com - PLEASE INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE PRODUCT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT!!

WWW Herbalwatch.com

HerbalWatch Bulletin    Trueman Tuck and Miracle Bion Fulvic acid marketer refuses to remove product from the market Last warning from Health Canada - April 28, 2006 Miracle Bion, distributed in Canada by Clinique Naturopathique de la Cité, contains humic and fulvic acids, which come from humus. Humus is made up of decomposed plant and animal residues, is found in soil, and could be contaminated with many types of bacteria such as E. coli. Miracle Bion is being promoted as an immune system booster and as a treatment for serious diseases, such as cancer, asthma, dementia, influenza, tuberculosis, epilepsy and arthritis. Google images of various Miracle Bion Products around the world In the Fall of 2005 Health Canada and other Federal agencies asked the distributor of Miracle Bion to stop selling it questionable product. The Canadian distributor is actually company in Quebec City named Clinique Naturopathique de la Cité. A Search for this company reveals that they are located at: 2600 Boul Laurier Québec, QC G1V 4T3 Telephone: (418) 650-6060 The owner calls himself "Dr. Stéphane Croft, but he is far from a real doctor. He is an unlicensed, unregulated self-proclaimed naturopath who operates as nanocraft.ca. The web site can only be seen if you have password. But, archives are available. Miracle Bion web site looked like this in November 2004. Why in the world did it take Health Canada nearly a year to go to their offices? James Lunney, a health critic for the Conservative party mentioned his name in a Parliamentary hearing of the Standing Committee on Health back in 2006. Croft's name is found on page 5 of the Hansard. - November 22, 2005. Lunney states that Health Canada officials visited Croft on November 3, 2005 and told him that he was breaking the law. Not only that, Lunney said that the Health Canada people actually had the nerve to interrupt Croft's practice, and that he was losing business. Lunney, a chiropractor and supporter of all sorts of nutraceutical quackery, never mentioned that in Quebec naturopaths are not regulated. In other words, Croft can apparently do anything he wants in that Province and their government has never stopped him. Trueman Tuck represents a number of companies who have marketed questionable or dangerous products from Canada, or who have imported them into Canada for remarketing. Some of the companies have marketed nutraceutical products that have been intentionally contaminated with real pharmaceutical drugs. Bell Lifestyle - Nokomis Rearch Products They continue to market sexual enhancement products despite problems with Health Canada. May/June 2006 ad in Healthy Living Magazine Despite the fact that Bell Distributors has manufactured or imported at least two products into Canada that have been cited by warnings from Health Canada, Nick Jerch, their owner, has balls enough to market two new sexual enhancement products. Some of them are advertised in natural health magazines. Eroxiltm In the advertisement in Healthy Directions he use the testimonial of a Dr. Joseph H. Kozak who is registered as a medical doctor in Ontario. The CPSO (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario) prohibits any doctor from providing any commercial endorsements or giving testimonials. A complaint has been lodged with the CPSO. The on-line web site does not mention Dr. Kozak's name, but instead uses somebody named Frank Sweet who they claim has an MD and ND degrees. There is an elderly naturopathic physician who practices in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, but there is no Frank Sweet registered as an MD in that State. Erosyntm - that's for women and is allegedly supposed to help the female libido and includes the testimonial of a 92 yr. old woman. Fertalintm - for fertility. With no proof that it works, and no approval from Health Canada, Dr. Kozak endorses this one, too. The products are made by Nokomis Research, Inc. and uses the same style packaging as Bell Distributors and is located in Etobicoke, Ontario. That web site is registered to a Rick Bendera from King City, Ontario, another Toronto suburb. They claim that their products are patented. Unfortunately I was unable to find any patent or trademark registration in either the U.S. or Canada. Rick Bendera applied to the FDA to get approval for some other compounds that he claims were tested without detrimental side effects in mice and horses in 2003. A letter about SPERMINE AND SPERMIDINE from the FDA is on their web site. Magicc Bullet contaminated with Viagra® Health Canada Warns do not take Stamen and Bell Magicc BulletBoth have been found to contain sildenafil, a prescription drug approved for male erectile dysfunction, sold under the brand name Viagra®. Inappropriate use of sildenafil could cause severe adverse reactions. Nick Jerch, who runs Bell Distributors has hired Trueman Tuck to help him file a lawsuit against Health Canada because he says that there is no Viagra in his stuff. Magnum Bullet contaminated with Cialis® Health Canada warns public not to use Bell Magnum BulletHealth Canada is warning consumers not to use Bell Magnum Bullet capsules, after it was found to contain an unauthorized substance similar, but not identical to, tadalafil. Tadalafil is a prescription drug approved for male erectile dysfunction, sold under the brand name Cialis®. Inappropriate use of tadalafil could cause severe adverse reactions. Chinese medicine outlets probed in UK Traditional medicines have been used for centuries but scores of traditional Chinese medicine stores in Britain's high streets are being investigated for selling illegal medicines, the BBC has learned. Radio Five Live has discovered that 67 outlets selling Chinese medicines are under suspicion. The herbs are contaminated with dangerous drugs. Sandi Stay had both kidneys removed after taking Chinese medicine which contained a banned toxic drug. She believed she was taking harmless herbs to cure her psoriasis. Traditional Chinese Medicine is now available on virtually every high street and offers treatment for conditions like eczema and weight loss which conventional medicine finds difficult to help. However, some products contain illegal substances, others contain illicitly traded extracts, and many risk causing serious side effects. It's a totally unregulated sector, with no control over what’s on the shelf, and no proper safety tests of the medicines. The Five Live Report investigates Chinese herbalists who put the health of their patients at risk. BBC Five Alive radio report on toxic TCM meds Five Alive home page FDA Issues Nationwide Alert for "Liqiang 4" Due to Potential Health Risk The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to take Liqiang 4 Dietary Supplement Capsules because they contain glyburide – a drug that could have serious, life-threatening consequences in some people. The FDA learned of the potential problem through an anonymous consumer complaint and followed up with testing that revealed the presence of glyburide in this product. GHR links on HealthWatcher.net Health Canada warns consumers not to use human growth hormone drug called GHR-15 What took them so long? Health Canada is warning consumers not to use GHR-15, which is sometimes labelled as GHR, due to risks associated with unsubstantiated health claims, hyperthyroidism, and possible interactions and allergic reactions. This product is not authorized for sale in Canada. The company suggests it can cure or help prevent a variety of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and multiple sclerosis. GHR links on HealthWatcher.net Liver failure from Chinese herb Shou Wu Wan "I Thought These Herbal Tablets Would Be Natural Way to Stop My Hair Loss. Instead I Nearly Died." A Liverpool woman told how a Chinese medicine to prmote hair grwoth almost killed her. Mother-of-three Jeanette Tarbuck, 38, from Mossley Hill, spent 10 days in hospital with serious liver damage after taking a Chinese herbal remedy for hair loss. Pro Fusion search for liver failure and herbal medicine Enzyte maker under fire A Cincinnati company that sells dietary supplements around the country, including one claiming to enhance men's sexual performance, is the subject of more than 3,000 complaints from consumers. The Better Business Bureau of Cincinnati and the Ohio Attorney General together have logged 3,736 complaints against Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals in Forest Park, and its related companies, since 2001. More than 2,600 have been filed just in the last 12 months, the bureau said. Most of the complaints focus on billing and marketing practices, particularly an offer for a free sample that automatically results in a customer being billed for an additional supply of the product. Quackwatch.com comments on Enzyte Sex in a bottle - Comments from CSPI Cincinnati BBB report on Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals Comments from Skin Talk's Lilith Saintcrow No Hard Evidence The Center for Science in the Public Interest has filed a complaint against Cincinnati-based Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, saying that the company has crossed the line with its television ads for its product Enzyte. Yes, Enzyte- the commercials with the plastic smiling man and everyone in 50's drag. I love those commercials. I'd buy a whole case of that shit just for the commercials alone. Enzyte Lawsuit Frequently Asked Questions - What does the suit claim? The suit claims the maker of Enzyte, Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals (Berkeley), intentionally distributed false claims about Enzyte increasing the size of men’s genitalia. The suit also claims the company used deceptive and confusing materials to mislead customers into waiving their right to collect a refund. New Zealand issues recall of contaminated Chinese herbal drugs Director-General of Health Dr Karen Poutasi is warning people to stop taking four products sold as herbal remedies after investigation and testing revealed they contain undeclared prescription medicines for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. The Ministry of Health's medicines safety authority (Medsafe) is ordering the recall of these products because they contain the undeclared prescription medicines sildenafil or tadalafil (the active substances in Viagra and Cialis respectively). The adulterated herbal products subject to this warning are not approved for supply as medicines in New Zealand and pose a safety risk to consumers if taken without medical supervision. The products to be recalled are: 1. Platinum Plus capsules 2. Boyjoy tablets 3. Wei Ge Wang tablets Search Google News for more Nationwide ALERT!!! - Health Canada Warns Canadians Not to Use "Sesa Hair Supplement" OTTAWA - Health Canada is warning consumers not to use "Sesa Hair Supplement" capsules, a product designed to treat hair loss. This product is contaminated with unacceptable levels of lead and could cause serious adverse effects, including death. Health Canada strongly advises anyone who has used Sesa Hair Supplement capsules to consult their physician. Alert over fatal mix of herbal pills and medicines Alert over fatal mix of herbal pills and medicines By Sam Lister, Health Correspondent - The Times Doctors warn that thousands are at risk THOUSANDS of people are risking their lives by mixing herbal remedies with common prescription drugs. “If complementary medicines were perfectly safe and had been thoroughly tested, there wouldn’t be a problem. But most of these medications remain untested and unresearched. This is potentially very dangerous.” Penis-enlargement firms sued A California man on Thursday sued a slew of international companies, including a Greeley, Colorado distributor, alleging the penis-enlargement products they market and distribute do not work. They are associated closely with another company, Albion Medical and operate out of the Bahamas. They also market a product called MaxiDerm a patch that you put on your body that allegedly claims to enlarge your penis. Of course this is just another scam. The lawsuit seeks class-action status to represent an estimated 1 million people who ordered the products in response to advertisements on television, radio and spam e-mail. The lawsuit names as defendants Leading Edge Marketing Inc. of British Columbia, TechniPak LLC of Greeley and several others. The lawsuit described TechniPak as the "operational hub" of the enterprise. Leading Edge Marketing has a terrible track record and has been under the gun in numerous other mailorder and internet scams around the world. They recruit others to do their sales work for them and they paid a hefty commission. Some distributors carry the whole line of products made by or distributed by Leading Edge Marketing and Albion Medical. Some of the sites even contain Links to diet drugs and narcotics.. They say that they are located in the U.S., but they are really in the Bahamas, just like Leading Edge Marketing. Missing ingredients in herb tests St John's Wort is a popular remedy. Tests on St John's Wort tablets showed huge variations in how much active ingredient different brands contain. Some people buying the popular herbal medicine may be getting virtually none, reveals the study by Taiwanese experts. Healthy, Wealthy, But Wise? Los Angeles Times correspondent Matthew Heller addresses the spamming of America by E'Ola and their ephedra containing products. How the Dietary-Supplement Trade Became Utah's Third-Largest Industry, and Why That May Not Have Been Such a Great Idea FDA Bans all ephedra products On Dec. 30, 2003, FDA issued a consumer alert on the safety of dietary supplements containing ephedra. The alert advised consumers to immediately stop buying and using ephedra products. Canadian Natural Health Products Directorate - NHPD On January 1, 2004 Canadians can look foward to new regulations which were enacted because consumers, government and some natural health product manufacturers felt the existing rules were too lax, labelling on some products incomplete and the health claims on some products did not have enough supporting evidence. NHPD Regulations Regulations - FAQs Health Canada Warnings and Advisories Canada takes action on Comfrey Health Canada News Release - Dec. 12, 2003 OTTAWA- Health Canada is advising Canadian consumers not to use the herb comfrey or any health products that contain comfrey because they might contain a compound called echimidine, which may cause liver damage. Ottawa warns against comfrey products - this is amazing because it was a claim that indeed comfrey was safe that was made by former Canadian talk show hostess Christine McPhee many years ago that initiated Dr. Terry Polevoy's quest to expose natural health fraud in this country. Unhealthy radio on Talk 640 - Now Magazine article by Colman Jones - November 2, 2000 featuring Dr. Terry Polevoy and the infamous comfrey references that it was safe even for babies which was made on the Touch of Health, Christine McPhee's AM640 weekly show in Toronto. The date of that particular show was February 26, 2000. I wrote to her immediately to inform her that comfrey was quite toxic, and perhaps she may have mixed it up with another herb. She objected to my comments and proceeded to call my office repeatedly to complain. Here's what Colman Jones had to say: "The doctor objected to McPhee's reference to the herb comfrey, which she claims is one of nature's bone builders but which he insists is toxic when ingested and can cause cancer in animals." Google News Search for Health Canada and comfrey FTC actions against comfrey merchants - July 2001 FDA search for comfrey on Google Grobust loses free speech appeal California Court rules against GNC, Trimedica, and GroBustIn a major setback to the floggers of herbal bust enhancers, Carlos Negrete, a lawyer who tried to get a lawsuit against his clients thrown out of court based on FREE SPEECH was taken down a notch or two by a judge in the California Court of Appeals. Ephedra Kills Special Report on the Ware Against Ephedra If Ephedra is removed from the shelves what will happen? When Illinois recently voted to ban ephedra in that State, how will the rest of North America handle it. Despite all the public pronouncements and efforts by Health Canada (yeah right), high dose ephedra or ma huang products are easy to obtain up here. Major news program is looking for Canadians who are willing to talk about their experiences with high dose ephedra. We know that it's easy to get, and we'd like to hear from you for an on-camera interview. So just contact us and we will pass your name on the the producer. Contact: HerbalWatch with your story Herbal Blues Product Review: Sexual Enhancement Supplements tested by Consumerlab.com Half of the twenty-two products tested were not compliant with FDA label requirements due to incomplete label information, such as incorrect or missing plant species names and/or no identification of the plant parts used. Bad news from Britain Health supplements: R.I.P. - The Guardian - Sept. 14, 2002 Millions of Britons take herbal vitamin and mineral supplements, either as a preventative measure or to treat specific ailments. But they may not be able to for much longer. Herbal remedies 'could harm health' - Sept. 6, 2002 - Herbalists have warned people are putting their health at risk by using remedies inappropriately. Analysis of some products, particularly Chinese remedies, has shown they contain steroids and toxic heavy metals. Health Canada issues a stop-sale order for all products containing Kava Kava - Aug 21, 2002 Santé Canada interdit la vente de tous les produits contenant du Kava - Kava kava products ordered off the shelves over liver concerns - August 21, 2002 Stores ordered to remove them. Also, all internet sales from other countries will be subject to seizure at the border by Canadian Customs. I wonder why a naturopathic doctor objected to this action. FDA warns against Chinese diet pills Chasu (Jianfei) Diet Capsules and Chasu Gempi, because they pose a potential public health risk. - August 13, 2002 "FDA is taking this action as a precautionary measure to help assure that people are not exposed to this potentially dangerous product," said Dr. Lester M. Crawford, FDA Deputy Commissioner. Products of this type are often sold in small urban markets as alternatives to Western medicine. In 2001, FDA issued a nationwide alert on the recall of thirteen "Treasure of the East" herbal products because of a dangerous ingredient, aristolochic acid, which is toxic to the kidney. Wild yams make Wild claims Wild yam cream a threat to women's health - Quackwatch - July 19, 2002 Many women are being encouraged to purchase and use "Wild Yam Cream" said to offer relief from premenstrual and menopausal symptoms. The preparation is made by a company called "NATURAL efx" and is promoted with materials that include testimonials, the recommendation of a "Dr. Betty Kamen," and citations of medical literature purported to support the claims being made. Britain may take action over herbal remedies Fears over herbal remedy tests in U.K. - BBC - July 21. 2002 - Health food shops could face closure if tighter EU laws on herbal remedies come into force in the UK, opponents have warned. The proposed directive on traditional herbal medicines aims to standardise regulations across Europe. Ban proposed for herbal medicine KAVA KAVA - BBC - July 18, 2002 U.K. government watchdog is considering banning the use of Kava-kava as a herbal supplement after patients reported liver problems. Slim 10 linked to deaths in Asia July 2002 - One Japanese woman died and 11 other people suffered liver problems after taking Chinese-made diet pills, some of which were similar to a brand banned in Singapore. The "Slim 10" diet pill was yanked from Singapore store shelves earlier this year after being linked to the death of one woman and the illnesses of at least 20 more, including a top television host who nearly died of liver failure. Deadly Diets from China - July 19, 2002 A popular brand of diet pills from China promised a quick path to a slimmer figure. Instead, at least six women died in three Asian countries. Dozens have been hospitalized, their internal organs damaged and digestive systems poisoned by substances not listed on its label. Some have sought liver transplants. With its long history of producing herbal remedies, China has become one of the world's largest producers of fake medicines, which are believed to be responsible for thousands of Chinese deaths every year. Last year, authorities closed 1,300 factories while investigating 480,000 cases of counterfeit drugs, according to the state-run newspaper China Daily. Last year, 192,000 people in China died after using bogus or poor quality drugs, according to the state newspaper Shenzhen Evening News Four more deaths in Japan - July 21, 2002 Imported slimming pills from China are being blamed for at least four deaths and over 150 cases of illness in Japan, with health authorities bracing for a further increase in the number of casualties. Chinese shut down alleged source of deadly diet pill operation Chinese diet pills kill one, sicken 11 in Japan Canada bans all kava kava sales including internet Health Canada issues a stop-sale order for all products containing Kava Kava - Aug 21, 2002 More on kava kava Nature's Way Products, Inc. Recalls Nettle Because of Possible Health Risk SPRINGVILLE, UT - July 2, 2002 Alarm bells went off at Nature's Way when it was found that 4 lots of their Nettle products were contaminated with lead. The company, located in Springville, Utah has thus far not placed this warning on their web site. The company stated the problem has been traced to a single batch of raw material used to manufacture the currently recalled products. A further story on NPI's web site may help. Health Canada - Herbal supplement warning OTTAWA - June 19, 2002 Canadians warned not to use seven herbal products manufactured in the United States by BotanicLab because they contain undeclared prescription drugs that could cause serious health effects if not taken under medical supervision. Health Canada warns about another aristolochia threat OTTAWA - May 17, 2002 Health Canada is warning people not to consume any Longdan or Lung Tan Xie Gan herbal medicine products. They may contain aristolochic acid. Chinese herbal scammers Hua Fo OTTAWA - Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Hua Fo tablets bearing the (Drug Identification Number) DIN 02243366, after they were found to contain an unauthorized substance similar, but not identical to, sildenafil. Sildenafil is a prescription drug approved for male erectile dysfunction, sold under the brand name "Viagra". Inappropriate use of sildenafil could cause severe adverse reactions. Toxic Heavy Metals and Undeclared Drugs in Asian Herbal Medicines by Edzard Ernst Asian herbal medicines are currently used by large sections of the population. - HMS Beagle - April 2002 - Because they are not regulated as medicines and are freely available to everyone, serious safety concerns might be associated with these herbal medicines. In this article, evidence suggesting that some Asian herbal medicines contain toxic heavy metals or undeclared prescription drugs is reviewed. In particular, Indian and Chinese preparations have been implicated. Although adulteration with drugs is by definition fraudulent, the inclusion of heavy metals could be either intentional for alleged medicinal purposes or accidental. Evidence from various countries implies that toxic heavy metals and undeclared prescription drugs in Asian herbal medicines might constitute a serious health problem. However, the majority of the data is anecdotal and insufficient to define prevalence figures. Ways ought to be found to maximize consumer safety. St John's Wort and Cancer drugs Kava can cause severe liver injury - April 8, 2002 - SAN FRANCISCO --St. John's wort may reduce the efficacy of a drug used by chemotherapy patients, according to new research that was presented at the 93rd annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (www.aacr.org). FDA Warnings on Kava Kava can cause severe liver injury - March 25, 2002 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers of the potential risk of severe liver injury associated with the use of kava-containing dietary supplements. Kava (Piper methysticum) is a plant indigenous to the islands in the South Pacific where it is commonly used to prepare a traditional beverage. Supplements containing the herbal ingredient kava are promoted for relaxation (e.g., to relieve stress, anxiety, and tension), sleeplessness, menopausal symptoms and other uses. FDA has not made a determination about the ability of kava dietary supplements to provide such benefits. FDA Issues Consumer Advisory on Kava - Natural Products Insider - March 26, 2002 The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) noted that the precautionary information in the advisory is consistent with its position statement issued in December last year. Safety Alert sent to doctors - FDA - December 21, 2001 American College of Cardiology Warnings Heart patients warned against garlic, ginseng supplements Patients who take herbal supplements risk death because those so-called natural products could interfere with their regular medications. Who is reponsible when someone walks into drug store, and buys a product that they saw in an advertisement, and then bleeds to death? Will Shoppers Drug Mart be sued because their pharmacists failed to discuss those risks with the customer. The real problem is with the companies and their partners, the pharmacists, who market unregulated herbs, drops, extracts and patches on the unsuspecting public. Our recommendation is that you pass by the herbal aisle and head straight out of the store. Don't believe the hype, go home and open up your fridge and grab a nice big tub of Häagen-Dazs and smother it with hot fudge, and then some whipped cream, and enjoy. You'll probably live just as long, and be much happier. Why not join NAAFA. Stringent regulation of traditional medicines is urgently needed Herbal slimming teas contain banned drug Traditional Chinese medicines for slimming still cause health problems and stringent regulation is urgently needed, according to a letter in this week’s BMJ. High concentration of banned weight loss drug fenfluramine were found in tablets supplied to patients and also in the patients’ urine. Teens who take herbs at serious risk for drug abuse CAM use goes hand in hand with drug abuse Boston - Reuter's Health - High school students who use herbal products may also be more likely to use cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs, researchers reported at the Society for Adolescent Medicine annual meeting here. "Kids who used an herbal product were almost six times as likely to use cocaine, almost seven times as likely to use methamphetamine, almost nine times as likely to use heroin, and about eight items as likely to use other illegal drugs," according to Dr. Susan Yussman. Health Canada takes the heat on Ephedra Doctor condems Health Canada for allowing sale of dangerous herb - Canadian Press Leading specialist in eating disorders says that the federal government is shirking its responsibility by allowing the sale of products containing a potentially dangerous drug that people are using to lose weight. "It's addictive, just like speed," Birmingham said. "People get used to it, they may have to steal for it. It ruins their life and it also changes their behaviour." He said ephedra, also known as ma huang, can cause strokes, seizures, hypertension, psychosis and depression. Voluntary recall of ephedra products not enough, MD says CMAJ 2002;166(2):225 -- Barbara Sibbald Health Canada has announced a voluntary recall of some products containing ephedra and ephedrine, even though their sale has long been prohibited in this country. In Canada, ephedra is authorized for use only as an over-the-counter nasal decongestant. "None of these products should have ever been allowed," says Dr. Stephen Jones of West Elgin, Ont., who helped compile a herbal database for Health Canada in 1990. Royal Numico writes off $350 million blames their Rexall Sundowne affiliate Royal Numico N.V. reported that even though it had a 14-percent increase in overall sales, it would have to write off approximately $350 million in goodwill and brands for Rexall Sundown due to a downturn in the herb and vitamin market. I wonder how much their Cellasene division has cost them in legal fees after the FTC investigation was launched? SHOPPERS DRUG MART STILL SELLS EPHEDRA FOR WEIGHT LOSS A high potency stimulant that contains 135 mg. of ma huang is still being sold by one of the three Shoppers Drug Marts in Dundas, Ontario. One of our associates found it on their shelves on January 21, 2002. I am very upset that this stuff is still on the market. The label reads: It burns fat, boosts energy, controls appetite and tones muscles. It FIGHTs fat, stress, fatigue and depression. Who are the idiots at Health Canada that allowed this product on the market in the first place, and who allowed the packaging to state this? The government of Canada has failed again to remove dangerous herbs from the largest drug store chain in Canada. How in the world do they hope to remove this stuff from under the counter at gyms, health food stores, and other places? This type of product is dangerous, it is abused, and how it found itself on the shelves of a Shoppers Drug Mart store in the first place is beyond belief. Health Canada - DPD Company Search INTEGRITY MARKETING INC. 12 - 111 FOURTH AVE - Suite 386 ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO L2S 3P5 DIN: 02240218 FORMULA GL-100 Health Canada - DPD Product Search HERBS AND NATURAL PRODUCTS ATC Packaging: 90 Ingredient: EPHEDRA Strength: 133.5 MG / CAP More Ontario Ephedra Distributors Google search for "GL-100 Ephedra" Healthwise - Another Ontario based vendor of numerous ephedra containing products is, registered by Mike BelCastro who is from Welland. It's really amazing what you can uncover when you look at the mixtures of herbs on his site. Some of these products contain herbs that are on the Health Canada restricted list. Many items on this site contain ephedra, and are clearly pitched weight loss. Some that have been hawked for years as a quick weight loss item seem to somehow be placed on their web site as a decongestant. This site provides almost no information about the products, and when they do, they are deceptive, especially the ones that claim to treat cancer. Greencanyon - another Ontario marketer of ephedra products, at least has one of those sites that provides detailed information about its products, especially ephedra. GL-100 sold as a weight loss product - The label says "Go from Fat to firm in just a few weeks. Each Capsule contains: Ephedra (Ma Huang Extract 6% - 133.5 mg)(133.5 mg yielding ephedrine) - 8 mg.ma huang. In a propietary blend of - 412.5 mg. White willow bark (salix alba), reishi mushroom (ganoderma lucidum), licorce root DGL (glycyrrhiza glabra), kola nut (cola nitida), gymnema sylvestre), ginseng root (panax ginseng), ginger root(zingiber officinale), kelp powder(fucus vesiculosis), guarana seed (paullinia cuppana), yerba mate leaves(ilex paraguariensis), black pepper fruit ext.1:1 (pipernigrum), bee pollen, nutritional yeast, polyphenolics. (I don't know about you, but this is not exactly what someone with a plugged nose would need. It is intended and labeled as a weight loss product. Does the stuff on the shelf of the Shoppers Drug Mart say that, too) Shoppers Drug Mart sale of more bogus diet products The sale of ephedra is still out of control. When is the government, and when is Shoppers Drug Mart going to do something about it? EPHEDRA RECALL IN CANADA Ephedra and ma huang recalled by Health Canada - January 8, 2002 Health Canada is requesting a recall from the market of certain products containing Ephedra/ephedrine after a risk assessment concluded that these products pose a serious risk to health. Adverse events including stroke, heart attacks, heart rate irregularities, seizures, psychoses and deaths have been reported in association with the use of some products containing Ephedra/ephedrine. Ephedra refers to several related species of herbs. Ephedrine is one of many chemical derivatives of this herb. More on ephedra FRENCH BAN KAVA KAVA Herbal remedy linked to liver disease - Kava bans multiply Joseph Brean - National Post - January 10, 2002 A popular herbal relaxant available off the shelf in Canada was banned in France yesterday as reports tied it to severe liver damage. Health Minister announces regulation of natural health products. If you have an article about herbal products that deserves a place on this web site, please feel free to: E-mail us:

Hot Topics    Bad News Reports Kava Kava a No No according to FDA It's "Buyer Beware" with Alternative Botanical Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms Blind trust: Herbal `cures' Code green: Seeing the side effects of alternative supplements Veromax and Doctor Duckett Scientists and Media Rip Herbal Remedies Warnings and Dangers of Herbs Comfrey attacked by FTC Aristolochia Echinacea Ephedra Gro Bust and other breast enhancers Metabolife St. John's Wort High Risk and Toxic Herbs Questionable claims and products Cynarol - artichoke's last stand. Herbal Information Resources Herbal - Drug Interaction Guide - .pdf format Drug - Supplement Interaction - Holistic Heart Health allows you to put in multiple herbs and medication. Surprise, surprise, there are interactions. Herbal Medicine Resources American Pharmaceutical Association Canadian Herbal Remedies Reviews in the News Herbal Sites of Note FDA Ephedra Warning Ephedra labels innacurate Ephedra Reality - Wash. Post Ephedra - Dateline NBC Herbal Warfare - Salon.com Herbal health concerns Worst Pills / Best Pills