Slim 10
Encyclopedia
Slim 10 was a popular dieting pill
produced by Yuzhitang Health Products of Guangdong
, People's Republic of China
. In 2002, the product gained notoriety for cases of thyroid
problems, liver failure
, and deaths in Asia
as a result of its consumption.
The product label claimed that the ingredients contained only natural extracts, and was originally cleared for sale by authorities. It was tested and found to contain fenfluramine
and nicotinamide
that was banned by authorities in several Asian countries but had not been discovered in previous tests—the authorities then ordered the product to be pulled from their shelves and conducted criminal investigation. Fenfluramine is a substance that was first outlawed in the United States
due to associations with severe health hazards.
, a high-profile liver failure of female television personality Andrea De Cruz sent shockwaves across its local television industry, leading to a few lawsuits being filed. She eventually won S$900,000 (US$521,460) in damages against the distributor and importer. One woman, Selvarani Raja, died after suffering from liver failure. De Cruz was saved after receiving an emergency transplant from boyfriend (now husband) and actor Pierre Png
, who donated half of his liver. Japan authorities reported four deaths resulting from the consumption of pill, and half of the 64 reported illnesses relating to liver or thyroid requiring hospitalization.
Consequences of the product's side-effects highlighted the issue of Asian women being under immense societal pressure to lose weight at any costs, and its countries' review of regulations within the slimming and pharmaceuticals industries. In its aftermath, Singapore tested all its 45 slimming products for any potentially dangerous ingredients. The spotlight was also shone on Chinese health products, which was exported and sold cheaply and largely unregulated across Asia in pharmacies, beauty parlors and spas. The manufacturer defended that the products linked to the incidents were the result of imitation
s. Its company's manufacturing license was eventually revoked by the Chinese government after Slim 10 was linked to one of its own citizen's death in Guangdong.
Dieting
Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In most cases dieting is used in combination with physical exercise to lose weight in those who are overweight or obese. Some athletes, however, follow a diet to gain weight...
produced by Yuzhitang Health Products of Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. In 2002, the product gained notoriety for cases of thyroid
Thyroid
The thyroid gland or simply, the thyroid , in vertebrate anatomy, is one of the largest endocrine glands. The thyroid gland is found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage...
problems, liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
, and deaths in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
as a result of its consumption.
The product label claimed that the ingredients contained only natural extracts, and was originally cleared for sale by authorities. It was tested and found to contain fenfluramine
Fenfluramine
Fenfluramine is a drug that was part of the Fen-Phen anti-obesity medication . Fenfluramine was introduced on the U.S. market in 1973. It is the racemic mixture of two enantiomers, dextrofenfluramine and levofenfluramine...
and nicotinamide
Nicotinamide
Nicotinamide, also known as niacinamide and nicotinic acid amide, is the amide of nicotinic acid . Nicotinamide is a water-soluble vitamin and is part of the vitamin B group...
that was banned by authorities in several Asian countries but had not been discovered in previous tests—the authorities then ordered the product to be pulled from their shelves and conducted criminal investigation. Fenfluramine is a substance that was first outlawed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
due to associations with severe health hazards.
Cases in Singapore
In SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, a high-profile liver failure of female television personality Andrea De Cruz sent shockwaves across its local television industry, leading to a few lawsuits being filed. She eventually won S$900,000 (US$521,460) in damages against the distributor and importer. One woman, Selvarani Raja, died after suffering from liver failure. De Cruz was saved after receiving an emergency transplant from boyfriend (now husband) and actor Pierre Png
Pierre Png
Pierre Png is a Peranakan Chinese Singaporean MediaCorp television and film actor and comedian who works on both Channel 5 and Channel 8 . He is best known for his role as Phua Chu-Beng in Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd and as Mo Yangyang in Holland V...
, who donated half of his liver. Japan authorities reported four deaths resulting from the consumption of pill, and half of the 64 reported illnesses relating to liver or thyroid requiring hospitalization.
Consequences of the product's side-effects highlighted the issue of Asian women being under immense societal pressure to lose weight at any costs, and its countries' review of regulations within the slimming and pharmaceuticals industries. In its aftermath, Singapore tested all its 45 slimming products for any potentially dangerous ingredients. The spotlight was also shone on Chinese health products, which was exported and sold cheaply and largely unregulated across Asia in pharmacies, beauty parlors and spas. The manufacturer defended that the products linked to the incidents were the result of imitation
Imitation
Imitation is an advanced behavior whereby an individual observes and replicates another's. The word can be applied in many contexts, ranging from animal training to international politics.-Anthropology and social sciences:...
s. Its company's manufacturing license was eventually revoked by the Chinese government after Slim 10 was linked to one of its own citizen's death in Guangdong.
Further reading
- "Slim 10减肥药诉讼余波未了 - 分销商到刘珂纶父母家张贴起诉状", Lianhe ZaobaoLianhe ZaobaoNanyang Sin-Chew Lianhe Zaobao , commonly abbreviated as Lianhe Zaobao , is the largest Singapore based Chinese-language newspaper with a daily circulation of about 176,000. Published by Singapore Press Holdings , it was formed on March 16, 1983 as a result of a merger between Nanyang Siang Pau and...
, 1 March 2007 (Archived) - "被指出卖友情 - 爱丽激动 泪洒公堂", 黄惠玉 and 郑碧玉, Lianhe ZaobaoLianhe ZaobaoNanyang Sin-Chew Lianhe Zaobao , commonly abbreviated as Lianhe Zaobao , is the largest Singapore based Chinese-language newspaper with a daily circulation of about 176,000. Published by Singapore Press Holdings , it was formed on March 16, 1983 as a result of a merger between Nanyang Siang Pau and...
, 24 June 2003 (Archived) - "怀疑服减肥药致死 广东查处“御芝堂清脂素”", China News ServiceChina News ServiceThe China News Service is the second largest state-owned news agency in the People's Republic of China, after the Xinhua News Agency. It serves mainly overseas Chinese and residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan....
on Xinhua News AgencyXinhua News AgencyThe Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
, 24 January 2002