Unapproved medications, including an emergency oral contraceptive, medications for erectile dysfunction, as well as antibiotics and antiparasitic drugs, were seized by Health Canada at the Rabais 4Saisons store, located in Montreal North. The federal agency states that these medications may pose serious health risks.
Rabais 4Saisons is located at 5321 Rue de Charleroi in Montreal. Health Canada advises the public that anyone who has used the affected products and has health concerns should consult a licensed healthcare professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist.
Health Canada also urges people to verify that their health products are properly approved by checking for an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN). There is also a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Medicinal Product Number (DIN-HM) to ensure that these products are approved.
The drugs seized at Rabais 4Saisons are: After-D, Albendazole, Balaxi – Amoxicillin, Balaxi – Tetracycline, Black Horse Vital Honey, Caplin Point, Erix, and Saad – Ampicillin.
“Unauthorized health products have not been approved by Health Canada, so their safety, efficacy, and quality have not been evaluated, and they may pose serious health risks,” the ministry stated in a press release.
It noted that many of the seized health products are not labeled in English and French, as required by Canadian regulations. As a result, important information is missing, particularly regarding usage, dosage, and side effects.
Among the seized medications is Albendazole, an antiparasitic drug that is not authorized for human use in Canada. It is available by prescription in other countries.
There was also After-D, an emergency contraceptive, whose label indicates the presence of levonorgestrel, an over-the-counter medication used to prevent pregnancy within 72 hours of unprotected sex. “Unapproved emergency contraceptives labeled as containing levonorgestrel may not be effective and may not adequately prevent pregnancy,” states Health Canada. It should be noted that there are approved levonorgestrel-based emergency contraceptive products available in Canada.
Antibiotics were also seized because their labels indicated the presence of ampicillin and amoxicillin, which are used to treat certain bacterial infections. These medications should be used only under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Ampicillin and amoxicillin can cause severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.
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–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
