Health Canada issued a number of alerts and recalls (on July 26 and July 29) for a variety of multivitamins and supplements that were distributed across Canada.
The products are being recalled because they may contain metal fibres.
The multivitamins and supplements have the following brand names: Kirkland Signature, Life, Option+, Webber Naturals, Wellness by London Drugs, Equate, Wellquest, VegiDay, and Natural Factors.
B vitamins, some including vitamin C, a combination of women’s vitamins and minerals, a combination of prenatal vitamins and minerals, men’s vitamins and minerals, and vegan organic are among the recalled products.
“Factors Group of Nutritional Companies Inc. is recalling various multivitamins and supplements sold under a variety of brand names due to the potential presence of metal fibres,” states the alert. “The affected products may contain metal fibres which, if ingested, may cause injury to the digestive system. The risk of harm due to the presence of iron is higher in individuals with a peptic ulcer, regional enteritis, ulcerative colitis, iron allergy, or for those taking high doses of iron supplements, levodopa, and/or levothyroxine.”
Health Canada said it’s monitoring the company’s recall and implementation of preventative and corrective actions.
Canadians are advised to stop using the products.
“Stop using the recalled products. Consult a health care professional if you have used any of these products and have health concerns,” states the alert. “If you have purchased an affected product, return it to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.”
Visit Health Canada’s Recalls and Safety Alerts website for a full list of the recalled items and their details. Lot numbers and expiry dates are listed on bottles of vitamins and minerals and they can be checked against the affected items shown on Health Canada’s website.
