Recall headache just gets worse

By AINSLEY THOMSON and HELEN TUNNAH

The recall of suspect health supplements remained in confusion yesterday with the New Zealand authorities unable to produce a full list of products part-produced by disgraced Australian pill-maker Pan Pharmaceuticals.

More than 600 products have now been recalled in Australia by drug watchdog the Therapeutic Goods Administration, many of which are sold here.

Yesterday, Health Minister Annette King ordered a recall of those products named by Australian authorities, but a full list of what is available here may not even be completed today - four days after the initial Australian recall.

New Zealand authorities have been unable to react as quickly as their Australian counterparts because complementary medicines do not have to be registered here.

Health supplement suppliers throughout the country began pulling products from shelves yesterday.

Nutra-Life recalled almost 180 products ranging from evening primrose oil to women's iron tablets. Other companies such as Red Seal, Thompson Nutrition and Bullivants were also withdrawing products from sale.

At the Life Pharmacy in the Two Double Seven shopping centre in Newmarket, one woman was concerned when she saw products from the Bio-Organics range being removed.

"That's the brand I take," she said. "They have not done me any harm, but they probably haven't done me any good either."

The woman, who takes 10 vitamins a day, said she would continue to take them because they had cost her so much money.

The pharmacy's owner, Garry Calder, said there had been a few inquiries from the public about which products were safe.

Health supplements were an important market for the shop, he said.

Shoppers at Woolworths in Two Double Seven said they were unsure if they should continue to take their health supplements.

West Aucklander Laura Edwards, who regularly takes supplements, had checked the products she had at home, and although she had none recalled to date, she was not confident about taking them.

"Until there is complete disclosure, I'm not taking them," she said.

Lorraine Holford, who is briefly living in Auckland, said she had a keen interest in herbal medicine.

She always read labels, but was concerned that the products might not contain what was claimed.

Other shoppers said they had always been wary of health products.

One man said there should be more concern about health products in general.

"There are many things in the herbal range that we just don't know what they are," he said.

"The only thing I would take is a reputable brand of vitamin C.

"Health products need to be regulated exactly the same as pharmaceuticals."

The manufacturing and selling of health supplements in New Zealand is worth $300 million a year and National Nutritional Foods Association president Bill Bracks said the cost of the recall would be huge.

"It's having a significant impact in financial terms. It is going to cost some millions of dollars for New Zealand industry.

"One retail chain has estimated it is going to cost it the best part of $1 million."

Mr Bracks said the Pan fiasco had left suppliers here "shell-shocked".

Australian authorities have ordered almost 1000 therapeutic products from the shelves, putting at risk the future of healthfood stores and the jobs of 5000 workers.

The recall was launched after one of Pan Pharmaceuticals' motion sickness products, Travacalm, caused adverse reactions, including hallucinations.

Some people tried to jump out of planes and trains.

An audit found the company had breached safety and quality standards, with test results manipulated and ingredients wrongly listed.

The company has blamed the problems on a rogue employee.

Authorities have not ruled out pressing criminal charges against the company, which has 70 per cent of Australia's complementary medicines market.

Mr Bracks said with many of the products being recalled because they had been supplied by Pan Pharmaceuticals, there was absolutely no risk to customers.

"The main thing that we're concerned about is the knee-jerk reaction that is taking place is making it bigger than it really should be.

"There hasn't been clearly the work done to establish what risk is inherent in the majority of the products being withdrawn from the market."

Pan Pharmaceuticals yesterday accepted the resignation of its managing director and chief executive, Jim Selim.