Consumers, Shops Still Confused 
Over Health Products
By Rosli Abidin Yahya

Bandar Seri Begawan - Consumers of health products and supplements, ordered removed from shop shelves by the Ministry of Health for alleged serious manufacturing breaches, are said to be still waiting for their refunds for unused portions yesterday.

The retailers, meanwhile, said they were awaiting further advice from the authorities as they claimed that not all items bearing the same affected brand names need to be recalled.

“However, the names of these products have been tarnished. Consumer confidence and trust may have eroded even though some of the items will be allowed back on the shelves,” said a concerned retailer.

The retailer advised the public to buy products, which stated their manufacturing location in their labels and to avoid the listed products manufactured by Australia's Pan Pharmaceuticals Ltd for the time being as advised by the Ministry of Health.

They also claimed that not all items manufactured by Australia's Pan Pharmaceuticals Ltd bearing the same brand names as those affected need to be recalled.

“However, we shall wait for further advice from the Ministry of Health in due time,” they said.

The Borneo Bulletin saw some drug stores continue to sell some products which were listed because they said that the products were not manufactured by Australia's Pan Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

“Our products were manufactured by other companies such as Banner Pharmacaps and Natural Factors in Canada, RP Scherer in Australia, Healtheries in New Zealand and Central Soya and Zimmerman in the US,” they said, adding that they will continue to sell the products as they expect that these products will be cleared by the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, consumers have been telephoning retailers wishing to return health products and supplements listed for a recall by the Ministry of Health.

The retailers advised consumers to wait for a few more days because some of the listed brands may not be affected since they were manufactured by other contract manufacturers.

“After the latest advice from the Ministry of Health in about two days time then our suppliers would decide whether to accept returns or not,” they added.

Health experts also advised consumers not to panic unnecessarily over the recall of many health products and supplements made by Pan Pharmaceuticals Ltd. They should, however, stop taking them immediately.

“For those concerned about the ill-effects after taking these products for a long time, they need not feel threatened if they were to stop taking them immediately, or if they had followed the recommended dosage,” they said.

They said most of these supplements did not stay in the body for long and were usually excreted from the body within a few hours or after several days.

They said these products should be returned to pharmacies from which they were bought for safe disposal.

“Pharmacists are expected to assist the public who are encouraged to come forward to seek their advice on what to do should they be in that position.

“In the first place, it is important for the public not to consume health products indiscriminately without consulting health professionals, such as pharmacists, who were specially trained on medicines and the promotion of health,” they said.

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