Posted on 07/12/2007 12:11:23 PM PDT by blam
Toxic chemicals found in fake toothpaste
By staff and agencies
Last Updated: 4:23pm BST 12/07/2007
Toxic chemical traces have been found in contaminated fake Sensodyne toothpaste sold in the UK, the medicines watchdog has warned.
The affected batch was sold at markets and car boot sales but not in shops
The affected batch was sold at markets and car boot sales but not in shops, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.
All tubes of Sensodyne contaminated with toxic levels of diethylene glycol should be throw away.
The affected products are fake Sensodyne Original and Sensodyne Mint sold in 50ml tubes.
They were sold via "unauthorised" suppliers and not legitimate shops.
Diethylene glycol could be toxic to young children and anyone with an impaired liver or kidney function, the MHRA warned.
But the watchdog had "no evidence" of any UK consumers suffering adverse reactions to the fake toothpaste.
The fake toothpastes were sold in packaging written in both English and Arabic. The affected batch code is PROD 07 2005/EXP 08/2008.
Genuine Sensodyne packs made by GlaxoSmithKline have packaging written only in English.
"We believe that elderly patients (possibly with impaired liver and kidney function) may have purchased this stock due to lower prices in markets, discount shops and car boot sales," the MHRA warned.
Genuine packs of Sensodyne are unaffected by the contamination scare.
The MHRA's inquiries into the incident are continuing.
Despite having "no evidence" of the contaminated product entering the legitimate supply chain, the watchdog is asking hospitals, wholesalers and pharmacies to check for Sensodyne in combined Arabic and English packaging.
Any stocks of the potentially contaminated toothpaste should be destroyed, it warned.
Genuine Sensodyne Mint toothpaste is white in colour whereas the fake version has a green paste. Both the genuine Sensodyne Original and the fake toothpaste have a pink coloured paste.
The genuine versions of both types of Sensodyne come in 45ml and 75ml tubes.
“Don’t by things you consume internally, or apply topically, out of somebody’s trunk” seems like a sensible rule to live by.
Interesting...
It doubles as a high-gloss, floor cleaner...
>> The fake toothpastes were sold in packaging written in both English and Arabic
Press One for Spanish, Press two for Arabic, Press three for English...
Sensodying, lol.
Now I may be out of the ordinary, but I make it a practice to buy, well, almost nothing from the trunk of someones car.
In fact I don't believe I can remember doing it at all.
L
Who swallows toothpaste or are the levels so high it gets absorbed inside the mouth?
But your engine won’t overheat.
Little kids swallow toothpaste. One or two of mine have been known to eat toothpaste.
Mrs VS
I would assume anything sold out of some guy’s car trunk is either fake, stolen, or illegal. I might buy a t-shirt, but toothpaste? Ugh.
People in the U.K. have to pay so much in taxes to support the national health service and other socialist schemes, they can’t afford decent toothpaste. That’s why they have such bad teeth. You have to economize somplace.
The tongue’s surface has a structure that’s very conducive to keeping molecules trapped for quite a while. Flavours linger, don’t they?
Now consider absorbing minute doses of harmful chemicals on a thrice-a-day basis, for months and years.
Ping.
Ping
Thanks for the ping.
Thanks for the ping.
Oh crap. That’s the brand of toothpaste I use.
Thanks (I think) for the ping.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.