SINGAPORE: Four men aged between 30 and 78 years
have been admitted to hospital after they apparently consumed
illegal sexual enhancement products.
They had consumed the drugs over the last week, from
January 30 to February 2.
Two of the men were unconscious when they were
brought to the hospital while the other two were confused and
weak.
All four are no longer in a critical condition.
However, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said the two men who
were initially unconscious suffered more severe consequences. One
remains in a non-communicative state while the other can only hold
simple conversations.
Based on HSA's assessment of the cases, the adverse effects
experienced by the four men are likely related to the consumption
of the illegal health products.
HSA has issued an alert to the public not to consume or buy such
illegal health products from vendors or peddlers.
The four men were hospitalised after they developed very low blood
sugar levels. Their urine and blood were tested and found to
contain glibenclamide, an anti-diabetic medicine which was
identified as the cause of their dangerously low blood sugar.
Of the four patients, three are non-diabetics and one is diabetic
who was not prescribed glibenclamide for the treatment of
diabetes.
Glibenclamide is a potent Western medicine used in diabetic
treatment to lower blood sugar levels to normal levels. It is a
prescription-only medicine and should be used under medical
supervision, said HSA.
Many illegal sexual enhancement health products in the past have
been found to contain glibenclamide, which can cause patients to
suffer serious adverse effects of seizures, coma and death.
HSA said the patients could not positively identify the products
that they had consumed but based on their case histories, the test
results, and HSA's surveillance activities, HSA has assessed that
these cases are likely related to the consumption of illegal sexual
enhancement health products.
HSA added that it has been closely monitoring the sales of illegal
sexual enhancement health products in Singapore and has conducted
more than 80 raids and seized about 1.4 million units of such
illegal products over the last three years.
More than 20 illegal sellers of these products have been prosecuted
by HSA in the past few years.
Glibenclamide is a substance controlled under the Poisons Act. It
is an offence for an unlicensed person to import, sell or possess
for sale any product containing the substance.
Anyone found guilty of an offence under the Poisons Act is liable
to a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment for a term of up to
two years.
HSA said it takes a serious view against those engaged in the sale
and supply of illegal health products and will take strong
enforcement action against such persons.
HSA has reminded the public not to buy health products from dubious
sources, like street peddlers, make-shift stalls and over the
internet. This is because such products may contain undeclared
potent substances that can cause serious harm when taken without
medical supervision.
- CNA/al/ac
