(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Banned product poses threat to public health and safety.
Dubai — A top official from the Ministry of Health (MoH) has warned against the use of weight-loss drug DNP — potentially lethal drug used as a dieting and body-building aid — after being alerted by the Interpol.
Dr Amin Hussein Al Amiri Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Public Health and Licensing said the Interpol had issued the warning against the sale of the unlicensed fat-burning drug as it can endanger the life of consumers.
On May 4 the Interpol had issued an Orange Notice alert declaring DNP potentially a lethal drug for consumers around the world.
The Orange Notice warning about DNP which is also used as a raw material for explosives was published by Interpol after one woman died in the UK and a French man was left seriously ill after consuming it.
Following the reported cases the Interpol advised the health authorities to take precautionary measures on the issue.
The MoH has notified all health authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and other relevant authorities including the Ministry of Environment and Water Emirates Authority For Standardisation and Metrology Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority Federal Customs Authority the Presidential Affairs Ministry and the Medical Services Corps of the UAE Armed Forces.
24-dinitrophenol or DNP is highly toxic and is not intended for human consumption. It is an industrial chemical sold illegally in diet pills as a fat-burning substance.
“A GCC country has said that the product is sold in the form of a yellow powder or inside capsules and even in the form of a cream” he said adding that the symptoms as a result of consuming the product include excessive sweating shiny yellow urine pale and yellow skin”.
Dr Amiri who is also chairman of the higher committee for medicinal vigilance in the country said that the public gets carried away and buys some medical and health products online especially diet and weight-loss drugs without knowledge about the harmful effects these can have on their health as most of these medicines are unregistered in the country and globally.
“These medicines are not under the ministry’s control since the companies or the persons who promote such products are from outside the UAE” he said.
“They cannot be held responsible or sued he said adding but some of them have offices on the country or representatives who work for them here and sell the products illegally.
He said the ministry is taking steps to register and regulate all types of pharmaceuticals of traditional herbal medicines dietary supplements among others in the country.
Registration of medicines is subject to strict measures of testing and verification to ensure the safety of the consumer to preserve the health and safety of the patients and the public. The ministry has issued a circular to all the medical zones and directors of public and private hospitals to withdraw the banned product he added. —