Local pharmacist pulls all products with PPA

One local pharmacist already has pulled products containing phenylproanolamine (PPA) from his store shelves, with others to possibly follow suit.
“First thing [Tuesday] morning, we began removing dozens of over-the-counter cold remedies that contain an ingredient which could cause hemorrhagic strokes, especially in young women,” Kim Metke, owner of Pharmasave and the Fort Frances Clinic Dispensary, said yesterday.
“As soon as we heard the strong warning issued by the American Food and Drug Administration, we acted,” stressed Metke. “The FDA has told Americans to immediately quit using drugs containing [PPA], and plans to ban the ingredient.
“Health Canada has advised people to avoid over-the-counter drugs containing PPA,” he added.
Gagne Pharmacy here hadn’t yet pulled such products from its shelves as of late yesterday.
“We’re waiting for the word from Health Canada,” pharmacist David Schwartz said yesterday afternoon. “We have received an advisory, and we’re not recommending it any more, but at this time, we haven’t pulled anything off the shelves.
“We’re going to be looking it, though,” he added.
And Canada Safeway here, which is in the midst of opening a full-fledged pharmacy within the store, hasn’t done anything either. “Nothing’s come down to us yet [from our Web site],” manager Mike Scott said.
“But then again, if you’re talking about over-the-counter drugs here, stores without pharmacies sometimes aren’t notified right away,” he added.
While the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke, or bleeding in the brain, is small, these can be deadly strokes and leave survivors disabled.
A five-year Yale University study unveiled Monday comparing PPA use among stroke survivors with healthy people concluded PPA increases stroke risk for young women. In some cases, using PPA increase stroke risk 12-15 fold.
The study did not find men at risk but it warned that not enough men were studied for conclusive results.
The FDA warning also covers diet pills containing PPA. But the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke was highest with higher doses of PPA–more than 75 milligrams daily–than dieters typically use.
Health Canada said PPA is not used in appetite-suppressing drugs in Canada.
Metke noted customers should check with a pharmacist for advice on alternative medications. There are a number of over-the-counter decongestant pills with safe alternatives to PPA, including nasal sprays, he said.
Anyone with concerns about their medication should bring it in for examination. This is important for anyone who may have purchased diet suppressants in the United States or over the Internet.
Pharmasave-brand products carry a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee so any cold remedy purchased from the Scott Street store or clinic dispensary containing PPA will be refunded or replaced, Metke said.