SINGAPORE - The Health Sciences Authority
(HSA) is alerting the public on a series of serious adverse events related to
the consumption of illegal sexual enhancement health products.
HSA said over the past week, four patients
between the ages of 30 to 78 years old have been admitted to hospitals with
dangerously low blood sugar levels.
Two of them were unconscious upon arrival at
the hospitals and the other two were confused and weak, HSA said.
Although all four are no longer in a critical
condition, one of the patients who was initially unconscious is in a
"non-communicative state", while the other is only capable of holding
simple conversations.
Tests revealed that their urine and blood contained
glibenclamide, a prescription only anti-diabetic medicine, which was later
identified to be the cause of their dangerously low blood sugar.
Of the four patients, three are non-diabetics
and one is a diabetic. However, the diabetic was not prescribed glibenclamide
for the treatment of diabetes.
Although the patients were not sure of the
products that they had consumed, HSA determined through investigations that
these cases are likely related to the consumption of illegal sexual enhancement
health products.
Glibenclamide is frequently used as an
adulterant in such products, which include Power 1 Walnut, Singapore Power 1,
fake Cialis and Santi Bovine Penis Erecting pills.
As Glibenclamide can cause a person's blood
sugar to drop from normal to dangerously low levels, it can leads to serious
adverse effects such as seizures, coma and death. Hence, the medicine is a
controlled substance that should not be present in non-medicinal health
products under the Poisons Act.
HSA has informed healthcare professionals and
requested that they report any suspicious cases.
Although investigations are still ongoing and
in the preliminary stage, HSA is also alerting members of the public as a
warning not to fall prey to vendors selling such products.
Over the past three years, HSA has conducted
more than 80 raids, seized about 1.4 million units of such illegal products and
prosecuted more than 20 illegal sellers.
If you have any information related to the
investigations or wish to report suspicious sales of illegal products, you can
contact HSA’s Enforcement Branch at 6866 3485 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 6866 3485 end_of_the_skype_highlighting during office hours, or email hsa_is@hsa.gov.sg.
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