Wellington - New Zealand health officials warned Thursday against buying medicines on the internet, saying subquality or counterfeit drugs for erectile dysfunction had been intercepted entering the country from India, China and Thailand. Stephen McKernan, the director general of health, issued a specific warning about four products illegally promoted in Singapore for treating erectile dysfunction that had been found to contain dangerous levels of a prescription medicine used to treat diabetes.
He said the products - Power 1 Walnut, Santi Bovine Penis Erecting Capsule, Zhong Hua Niu Bian and a counterfeit Cialis - contained the diabetes drug glibenclamide and were believed to have caused one death and up to 89 adverse reactions in Singapore.
McKernan said glibenclamide lowers blood sugar levels and its use by consumers who did not have diabetes could produce serious side effects, including coma and possible death.
