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'Herbal' sex pills actually Viagra copies
By Dong Zhen and Xu Chi |
February 12, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
"HERBAL" sex drugs widely available from underground dealers and even licensed stores in Shanghai are actually highly dangerous copies of Viagra, officials warned yesterday.
Customers seeking to pep up their sex lives are tempted by the products, believing their list of natural ingredients ensures they won't be harmful.
But far from containing traditional Chinese herbs, these are super-strength drugs, based on Viagra but with twice as much of its core ingredient, said Food and Drug Administration officials yesterday.
"The fake drugs are not made from the Chinese herbs claimed on their packaging," said an FDA official, surnamed Wang. "They contain silenafil, a blood vessel expanding substance and an important ingredient of Viagra, but here the quantity is double that found in Viagra."
"They can be very harmful," he warned.
A Shanghai Daily investigation has dicovered that one of the city's most popular health products wholesale markets also provides the copycat drugs to dealers.
Gangs running a notorious sex drug business on downtown Fangbang Road have bought their wares at the Kaixuanmen (Arc de Triomphe) wholesale market at 428 Tianmu Road M., near Shanghai Railway Station.
The pills are also sold under the counter at some licensed stores.
Sex boost drugs are on offer for as little as 0.30 yuan (about 5 US cents) per pill or capsule.
A packet of fake Viagra pills, similar to those sold for 100 yuan by Fangbang Road dealers, is available for 2-10 yuan from many of the small shops on the fourth level of the market. A packet contains four to eight pills.
Genuine Viagra is a prescribed drug sold at 99 yuan per pill in China.
Although many of the illegal drugs are given brand names such as Viagra No.1 or Power Viagra, they claim in their ingredients to be herbal products.
The fourth floor of the market specializes in sex products, but while sex toys and condoms are displayed openly, the sex pill business is conducted more discreetly.
"We need to be very careful because the clampdown has intensified lately," a middle-aged female vendor told Shanghai Daily reporters pretending to be dealers looking for a big wholesale purchase.
Most of the store attendants contacted warned the "blue pills" were too risky and suggested more expensive options.
"Some users reported the blue pills made them dizzy and red-faced and that their vision turned green," said the vendor. "It's not a good choice for you if you want to attract long-term customers."
Following the Shanghai Daily investigation, Zhabei District Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau inspected some stores at the market yesterday afternoon, confiscating sex drugs and ordering stores to stop selling them.
"We have sent the drugs to the FDA for lab test. At the moment, we can only punish the stores for selling unlicensed food products," said Yu Juan, a bureau official. "The punishment will be tougher if it's proved the product is harmful or toxic."
FDA officials said they would be meeting local police today to prepare for joint action.
Customers seeking to pep up their sex lives are tempted by the products, believing their list of natural ingredients ensures they won't be harmful.
But far from containing traditional Chinese herbs, these are super-strength drugs, based on Viagra but with twice as much of its core ingredient, said Food and Drug Administration officials yesterday.
"The fake drugs are not made from the Chinese herbs claimed on their packaging," said an FDA official, surnamed Wang. "They contain silenafil, a blood vessel expanding substance and an important ingredient of Viagra, but here the quantity is double that found in Viagra."
"They can be very harmful," he warned.
A Shanghai Daily investigation has dicovered that one of the city's most popular health products wholesale markets also provides the copycat drugs to dealers.
Gangs running a notorious sex drug business on downtown Fangbang Road have bought their wares at the Kaixuanmen (Arc de Triomphe) wholesale market at 428 Tianmu Road M., near Shanghai Railway Station.
The pills are also sold under the counter at some licensed stores.
Sex boost drugs are on offer for as little as 0.30 yuan (about 5 US cents) per pill or capsule.
A packet of fake Viagra pills, similar to those sold for 100 yuan by Fangbang Road dealers, is available for 2-10 yuan from many of the small shops on the fourth level of the market. A packet contains four to eight pills.
Genuine Viagra is a prescribed drug sold at 99 yuan per pill in China.
Although many of the illegal drugs are given brand names such as Viagra No.1 or Power Viagra, they claim in their ingredients to be herbal products.
The fourth floor of the market specializes in sex products, but while sex toys and condoms are displayed openly, the sex pill business is conducted more discreetly.
"We need to be very careful because the clampdown has intensified lately," a middle-aged female vendor told Shanghai Daily reporters pretending to be dealers looking for a big wholesale purchase.
Most of the store attendants contacted warned the "blue pills" were too risky and suggested more expensive options.
"Some users reported the blue pills made them dizzy and red-faced and that their vision turned green," said the vendor. "It's not a good choice for you if you want to attract long-term customers."
Following the Shanghai Daily investigation, Zhabei District Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau inspected some stores at the market yesterday afternoon, confiscating sex drugs and ordering stores to stop selling them.
"We have sent the drugs to the FDA for lab test. At the moment, we can only punish the stores for selling unlicensed food products," said Yu Juan, a bureau official. "The punishment will be tougher if it's proved the product is harmful or toxic."
FDA officials said they would be meeting local police today to prepare for joint action.
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