Deadly parasite, bacteria taint child gastro medicines: Baby's Bliss Gripe Water (apple flavour), code 26952V AND Zhong Ti Xiao Er Jian Pi San, batch number JPS0704

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Deadly parasite, bacteria taint child medicines

Two natural remedies from abroad that treat tummy upsets draw Health

Canada warning

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/290649

Jan 03, 2008 04:30 AM

OTTAWA--Health Canada is advising consumers not to use two foreign

natural health products to treat digestive upset in infants and children

because of potentially dangerous contamination.

Baby's Bliss Gripe Water (apple flavour), code 26952V, was found to

contain cryptosporidium, a parasite that infects the gastrointestinal

tract and can cause severe side-effects, especially in infants.

Cryptosporidium can lead to watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting

and, in some cases, death.

The natural health product, given to infants to ease stomach discomfort

and gas often associated with colic, hiccups and teething, is sold in a

four-ounce (118-millilitre) plastic bottle inside a cardboard carton.

The label reads: Baby's Bliss Pediatrician Recommended Gripe Water Apple

Flavor. Baby's Bliss is distributed by MOM Enterprises, Inc. of California.

Health Canada is also advising consumers not to buy or consume Zhong Ti

Xiao Er Jian Pi San, batch number JPS0704, which has been recalled due

to bacterial contamination.

The powdered product is promoted for use in children to treat stomach

upset and digestive problems.

Zhong Ti Xiao Er Jian Pi San is made by MOH Pharmaceutical Technologies

in Malaysia and distributed in a 20-gram pack in Singapore by Chung Kuo

Refined Chinese Medicine Dealers Ltd.

The contaminated product (batch number JPS0704) could cause bacterial

infection, with symptoms depending on the type of microbe present,

Health Canada said in an advisory yesterday.

Baby's Bliss Gripe Water and Zhong Ti Xiao Er Jian Pi San are not

authorized for sale in Canada.

Neither product has been found in the Canadian marketplace.

But the products could have been bought by Canadians travelling abroad

and brought into Canada or purchased over the Internet, Health Canada said.

Canadians who have these products are advised not to use them and to

consult a health-care professional if they have concerns about their use.

The Canadian Press

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