KUALA LUMPUR: Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai yesterday advised Malaysian men to be beware about using unregistered health products, especially ‘ubat kuat lelaki’ (aphrodisiacs sold indiscriminately) as they contained scheduled poisons.
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai
Unregistered health products poisonous; China rice crackers being examined
He said most of these products in the market generally contained scheduled poisons like sildenafil, tadalafil and verddanafil, which are active substances in sex stimulants.
“These three drugs which are used to treat erectile dysfunction can only be prescribed by a doctor or registered pharmacist as misuse can lead to health complications.
“The public must be careful. Most of these ‘ubat kuat lelaki’ products contain drugs,” he told reporters after making a visit to the National Pharmaceuticals Control Bureau near here yesterday.
He said among the side effects users of the ‘ubat kuat lelaki’ faced were heart attacks, strokes, brain haemorrhage, high blood pressure, loss of hearing and sight which at times could be permanent.
Liow said products with the three active substances were becoming more diversified and easily available, like mixed with coffee and even ice lemon tea.
“I think it is high time for us to stop all these nonsense and abuse in this country. I take this very seriously. Do not buy such products,” he said, adding that his ministry would go all out to bring to book those peddling these unregistered products.
The health ministry is also stepping up scrutiny on the imported ‘Wang Wang’ rice crackers and collecting its samples for laboratory tests, following a report that coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria were detected in the product in China.
The minister said Malaysia imported 334,460 boxes of the product this year but was unsure how many were still in the market or whether they were contaminated.
As a precaution, he said the product was placed at Level 5 of the Food Safety Information of Malaysia (Fosim), where the product would be analysed before release into the market.
Level 6 of Fosim involves total rejection of a product.
“I have directed the food safety division to go on the alert…and today (yesterday), we have started to collect samples from the market for analysis,” he told reporters after visiting the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau near here yesterday. — Bernama
On Wednesday, Chinese authorities confirmed the presence of the bacteria in the product in Shandong Province.
Liew said the ministry was also liaising with its Chinese counterpart to obtain more details on the matter and trace the source of the product that was exported to Malaysia.
“Once we know the source, then it will be easier for us to trace the product,” he said.
On whether the product was safe for consumption for now, Liow said he would decide once the status of the product was confirmed. — Bernama