More than 900 packs of a Chinese herbal medicine that can cause
cancer is on sale in the UK despite warnings to take if off the
market.
The packs of unlicensed Jingzhi Kesou Tan Chuan Wan are thought
to be circulating even though the distributor recalled them. The
medicine went to 20 shops and clinics selling traditional Chinese
and herbal medicines.
A new English label was put on the packs to hide the original
label containing the Chinese symbols for Aristolochia, a banned
toxic and carcinogenic derivative of a plant.
Exposure to aristolochic acids can cause kidney failure and
cancer, particularly of the urinary tract, the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said. The medicine is packed
in white plastic bottles, each containing 180 round white
tablets.
Richard Woodfield, head of herbal policy at the MHRA, said: "I
would strongly advise anyone who has used this product to stop
taking it and to immediately consult their doctor."
Ekong International (UK) Ltd, which distributes the tablets,
issued a recall last month but more than three-quarters of the
stock has still not been returned.