New Delhi, July 19 (IANS) The US food and drug regulatory organisation has warned India about the possibility of some products containing steroids entering the Indian markets as dietary supplements, a health official said Monday.
In a communique to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the Food and Drug Administration said these products were recalled in the US as some of these were marketed without an approval from the department and most were marketed as ‘dietary supplement’.
‘The products were found to contain steroid or steroid-like substances making them unapproved new drug. Most of these products were distributed through internet rather than through a distributor network,’ said a statement from the health ministry.
According to the health ministry, steroid containing products present a risk of acute liver injury to product users.
In addition, steroids may cause other serious long-term adverse health consequences, including male infertility, masculinisation of women, breast enlargement in males, short stature in children, adverse effects on blood lipid profile and increased risk of heart attack and death.
‘General public is advised to understand the risk involved in usage of such products and refrain from using such products,’ the ministry warned.
A complete list of these products may be seen at the website of the authority, www.fssai.gov.in, under the item ‘Advisories’.
