EcoWaste Coalition: Some Slimming Products Can Kill

22 August 2014, Quezon City.  A watchdog group for consumer health and the
environment urged the public not to waste hard-earned money for illegal
weight-loss products that may contain hidden ingredients that can trigger off heart attack or
stroke.

The appeal from the EcoWaste Coalition came after the group gathered visual evidence confirming the unrestrained sale of unregistered slimming products in food supplements
stores in Metro Manila despite repeated warnings from the Food and Drugs
Administration (FDA).

“We’ve been seeing an explosion in unregistered diet aids in the market that
are cashing in on the desire of many to be physically
attractive, fit and lean,” observed Thony Dizon, Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect.

“Consumers should be on the alert for slimming products that may contain secret
chemicals and drugs, which can lead to serious and possibly lethal complications,” he
emphasized.

To avoid being duped and harmed, consumers should cautiously read product
information, watch out for red flags such as blown up claims and, before making
a purchase, check the FDA website to validate if the product is properly
registered, the EcoWaste Coalition said.

Just on August 12, the FDA banned two more unregistered slimming powdered juice containing undisclosed
active pharmaceutical ingredients such as amphetamine and/or sibutramine.

Sibutramine, for
instance, is known to considerably raise blood pressure
and/or pulse rate in some individuals and may pose a significant risk for
those with heart conditions.

Banned in many countries since 2010, health authorities have warned
that sibutramine-containing
weight-loss products may adversely interact with other health medications and put a
consumer’s life at risk.

In support of the FDA’s public health advice, the group’s AlerToxic Patrol on August 17, 18 and
19 scoured shopping mall stalls in Caloocan, Las Piñas Makati,
Mandaluyong, Manila, Muntinlupa, Pasay and Quezon Cities that sell dietary
supplements, herbal concoctions and Chinese medicines.

The group noted the names of the weight-loss products on store shelves, discreetly took
photos  and verified through the FDA website if such products are duly registered.

Based on the documentation done by the group, 36 slimming products, often packaged as slimming
coffee, chocolate drink, juice or tea, were found to be either banned or
unregistered.  The list includes:

1. Aloe Vera Whitening Slimming Coffee
2. Best Beauty Pearl Slimming Coffee
3. Body Beauty 5 Days Slimming Coffee
4. Body Language Slimming Coffee
5. Brazilian 7 Days Slimming Coffee
6. Brazilian Slimming Coffee
7. Brazilian Coffee 10 in 1 with Slimming Effects
8. Burn Body Fat Orange Juice
9. Burner Cofe
10. Chocolate Brazil Slimming
11. Coconut Weight Loss Whitening Freckle Removing Vitamin C Supplementation
12. Coffeetrim Brazilian Slimming Coffee
13. Curvy Pearl Beauty Slimming Orange Juice
14. Fashion Slimming Coffee
15. Fat Burners Slimming Coffee
16. Fitness Coffee Fat Elimination and Slimming
17. Ginseng Slimming Coffee
18. Leisure 7 Days Slimming Coffee
19. Leisure 18 Slimming Coffee
20. Leisure Slimming Chocolate Drinks
21. Leisure Slimming Mango Juice
22. Leptin Fat Burners Slimming Coffee
23. Leptin Green Coffee 800
24. Magicslim Herb Tea
25. Max Fat Burner Orange Juice
26. Max Slimming Coffee
27. Milk Tea Slimming
28. Optimax Cofslim Sugarfree
29. Optimax Superslim Sugarfree
30. S100 Weight Loss Coffee
31. Slimmate Herbal Tea
32. Slimming Milk Tea
33. Slimming Plum
34. V12 Fruit Slimming

35. Vita Slim Appetite Suppressant Guava Flavor
36. Weight Loss Coffee

The group pointed out that Brazilian Slimming Coffee, Burn Body Fat Orange
Juice, Leisure 18 Slimming Coffee and Vita Slim Appetite Suppressant Guava
Flavor were among those already banned by the FDA.

The group added that Australia banned Leptin Green Coffee 800 in 2011, while US
banned Leisure 18 Slimming Coffee in 2011 and Body Beauty 5 Days Slimming
Coffee in 2013.  Singapore banned Curvy Pearl Beauty Slimming Orange Juice
and V12 Fruit Slimming in 2013.

The group further noted that Hong Kong in 2013 advised consumers not to use 11
slimming products, most of which are sold locally, due to their undeclared
sibutramine and/or phenolphthalein content.

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