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Chinese Toothpaste Scare Spreads to Canada

Some Chinese Toothpaste May Contain Poisonous Chemical

By Joseph S. Enoch
ConsumerAffairs.com

May 25, 2007

Toothpaste • 'Whiter Smile' Ads Can Leave Consumers Frowning • Toothpaste Importers Face Charges In California • Gilchrist & Soames Recalls Toothpaste • Toothpaste Scare Spreads to Hospitals, Prisons • China Pledges to Improve Food Safety • Another Importer Recalls Chinese Toothpaste • Colgate Warns of Counterfeit Toothpaste • Importer Recalls Toothpaste After FDA Warning • China Faults U.S. FDA In Toothpaste Flap • FDA Warns Chinese Toothpaste May Be Contaminated • Chinese Toothpaste Scare Spreads to Canada • FDA Bans Toothpaste from China after 51 Deaths in Panama • Foreign Toothpaste Illegally Imported, Sold in U.S. --- Complaints • Colgate • Crest • Ultrabrite

The toothpaste scare that has the U.S. Food and Drug Administration scrambling to check all toothpaste imports has spread to Canada.

Chinese toothpastes labeled “Mr. Cool” and “Excel” contain diethylene glycol, a poisonous chemical used in antifreeze. The discovery alarmed Panama officials because that same ingredient killed 51 Panamanians a year ago after it was found in Chinese-imported cough syrup.

In response to Chinese shipments of poisonous toothpaste found in Central America, the Caribbean and Australia, the U.S. has decided to check all toothpaste shipments from China.

Canadian officials are considering taking similar actions.

Although neither of those products have been licensed in Canada, officials warned that they may still be on the market.

“It is possible that these products could be purchased by Canadians traveling abroad, or have been brought into Canada through personal importation, or purchased over the Internet,” said Renee Bergeron, Health Canada spokeswoman.

“Health Canada is monitoring this issue and will take the appropriate compliance and enforcement action if the product is found to be on the Canadian market,” Bergeron continued.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not said whether any tainted tubes may be in the U.S., a recent story by ConsumerAffairs.com found illegally imported toothpaste being sold in in discount stores.

Our story found 17 tubes of illegally imported toothpaste being sold in D.C.-area discount stores. The tubes were all manufactured in other countries and are not intended for sale in the U.S. One illegal tube of toothpaste was from China.

Imported toothpaste found in D.C.-area stores

The tubes are illegal because they do not follow the FDA’s over-the-counter drug labeling requirements. Two tubes didn’t even list all the ingredients while many of the others are in foreign languages.

After almost three weeks of ignoring many of our questions, the FDA told ConsumerAffairs.com that companies who manufacture, market and distribute the toothpastes could all face prosecution for selling the illegal products.

“Over-the-counter drug products that do not comply with FDA labeling requirements are misbranded and may also be unapproved new drugs, both of which violate the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act,” FDA spokeswoman Veronica Castro wrote in an e-mail.

“Enforcement regarding products that violate the FDCA include regulatory correspondence, seizure, injunction, and in some cases criminal prosecution.”

Most of the illegal tubes were common U.S. names designed for foreign use.

Colgate representative Tom Paolella, said regardless of the tube’s origin, all their products are safe.

Crest representatives have not returned two phone calls and two e-mails.

The worst retail offender was discount store chain, National Wholesale Liquidators, which has not returned two e-mails and does not answer the phone.

When shopping at discount stores, consumers should ensure the product has the over-the-counter drug facts labeling that includes: a list of active ingredients, a description of the product’s use, warnings, directions, a list of inactive ingredients and a toll-free phone number.

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