The MHRA is advising consumers not to use the products specified below due to concerns about possible side effects.
Reason for warning
The MHRA has received advice from the Danish Medicines Agency that these unlicensed products have been tested and found to contain the Prescription Only Medicine Sibutramine which was not declared on the product labels. Sibutramine was withdrawn from the market in January 2010, on safety grounds, due to the increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Coffee 26 Original sachets, Coffee Nature Fashion Slimming sachets and Slim 1 additionally contain another undeclared ingredient called Phenolphthalein, a Prescription Only Medicine (previously used as a laxative but no longer authorised for sale in the UK due to safety concerns).
It is unclear whether these products are available in retail outlets but could be available on the internet.
Possible side effects
Sibutramine has been withdrawn from the EU market, due to increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Phenolphthalein is no longer authorised for sale in the UK because it has been associated with a risk of developing cancer.
Product names:
- Fashion Slimming Coffee
- L-Carnitine + P57
- L-CarnitinL 360 Slimming Coffee
- Brazil Potent Slimming Coffee sachets
- Coffee 26 Original sachets
- Coffee Nature Fashion Slimming sachets
- Slender Capsule
- Slim-1
Product descriptions
Fashion Slimming Coffee is a brownish powder which comes in sachet form. The language of the packaging is English and Chinese.
L-Carnitine + P57 is in capsule form. Capsules are Gold/orange in colour. The product has an expiry date of 03/04/2014. The language of the packaging is English and Chinese.
Brazil Potent Slimming Coffee comes in sachet form. The sachets contain a grey powder.
Coffee 26 Original comes in sachet form. Sachets contain a grey/white powder with black grains. The language of the packaging is English and Chinese.
Coffee Nature Fashion Slimming sachets contain a light brown powder. The language of the packaging is English and Chinese.
Slender Capsules are green/dark green in colour. They are manufactured by HK Bertone International Industrial Co. Ltd. The batch number shown on the packaging is 12010801, expiry date: 20150107. The language of the packaging is English and Chinese.
Slim-1 comes in capsule form. Capsules are green/light green in colour. The expiry date shown on the packaging is 02.19.2015. The language of the packaging is English and Russian.
