health canada warning consumers not to

OTTAWA - Canada is warning consumers not to take the Chinese medicine

Shortclean because it contains glibenclamide (glyburide) and

phenformin, two prescription drugs that could pose a serious health

risk for people with low blood sugar or diabetes. Shortclean has been

promoted for the control of diabetes and as being derived from only

natural ingredients.

Shortclean is not approved for sale in Canada and does not appear to

be available to Canadians via the Internet. However, Canadians

travelling overseas may have purchased this product for personal use

and imported it into Canada.

The Department of Health in Hong Kong recently recalled Shortclean and

advised the public against its use. Glyburide is a prescription drug,

authorized for sale in Canada, that is used to lower blood sugar. It

is safe and effective when used as labelled in approved medications

and under medical supervision. People who have low blood sugar or

those with diabetes can inadvertently receive significantly high

amounts of glyburide by consuming Shortclean.

Similarly, Shortclean when used with other diabetes drugs could

increase the effects of those drugs, leading to a dangerous drop in

blood sugar.

Phenformin, the second drug ingredient found in Shortclean, was once

used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Phenformin was removed from

the Canadian market in 1977, and is banned in several countries,

including Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, France and the United States.

The bans resulted from numerous international reports of

life-threatening lactic acidosis, an often fatal metabolic disorder in

which an abnormal amount of lactic acid accumulates in the blood.

People with diabetes who use Shortclean as their only treatment will

not be able to effectively monitor the undeclared and uncontrolled

amounts of glyburide and phenformin. This could result in serious

health risks that may lead to a life-threatening situation. Further,

the label displayed on the product is advertised only in Chinese.

Pertinent information about dosage and side effects therefore may not

be available to the consumer. Consumers should immediately stop using

Shortclean and seek medical attention, especially if they are

currently being treated with diabetes drugs.

Immediate medical attention should also be sought if consumers are

experiencing symptoms of low or high blood sugar that include: rapid

heartbeat, fatigue, blurred vision, headache, excessive hunger,

excessive thirst, profuse sweating or confusion, numbness of the

extremities, tingling of the mouth, difficulty breathing, seizures or

loss of consciousness.

Canadians should only use drugs and natural health products that have

been authorized for sale by Health Canada. Authorized drugs and

natural health products will bear either an eight-digit Drug

Identification Number (DIN), a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a

Homeopathic Drug Number (DIN-HM). This authorization indicates that

the products have been assessed by Health Canada for safety, efficacy

and quality.

The public is encouraged to inform Health Canada if they are aware of

the sale of Shortclean by calling the Health Products and Food Branch

Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675. To date, no adverse reactions from the

use of Shortclean have been reported in Canada or internationally.

To report a suspected adverse reaction, please contact the Canadian

Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Program (CADRMP) of Health Canada by

one of the following methods: Telephone: 866-234-2345 Facsimile:

866-678-6789

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