Registration of erectile dysfunction medicine cancelled

The public is urged to cease using the traditional pill 'Sta-lions' because it contains scheduled poison 'tadalafil' which can cause several side effects.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said, the Drug Control Authority has cancelled the registration of the product on March 28 after it was found to contain poison which could lead to damage or loss of vision and hearing, sudden and dangerous drop in blood pressure, stroke and heart attack.

The licence holder of the product is Together Link Enterprise, Penang and its manufacturer is DZ Trade (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd in Kedah, he said in a statement.

He said, Tadalafil is a medicine which is used to treat erectile dysfunction, and prior to this it could only be supplied by a doctor or obtained from pharmacies on a doctor's prescription.

Those who had stock of the product were told to stop its sale, distribution or usage immediately, he said.

Individuals who contravened the rule could be fined not exceeding RM25,000 or jailed not more than three years or both for a first offence and fined not more than RM50,000 or jailed not more than five years or both for subsequent offences.