Actually, Canadian officials were not planning to follow suit. They only caved in to PUBLIC pressure, after the news was released in the U.S. The company that makes Contac-C pulled its products of the shelf voluntarily here in Canada first. This risk of brain hemorrhage (very, very tiny risk) is not new; the american FDA has been toying with the idea of introducing a total ban for weeks. If it's such a big worry today, why wasn't it a big panic then??

Canada doesn't always follow in the shadow of Uncle Sam. That's why we could buy Splenda for nearly a decade before the states, that's why we can still buy cyclamates (SugarTwin) here and not in the states.

Doreen



Canadian doctors skeptical about U.S. drug warning
WebPosted Fri Oct 20 06:41:36 2000

TORONTO - Canadian doctors are not convinced that a common diet and cold medication is a common cause of hemorrhagic strokes, despite a warning from U.S. researchers.

Scientific advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled 13-0 Thursday that phenylpropanolamine, also known as PPA, can cause bleeding in the brain in some people under 50.
The drug is included in many over-the-counter products, from Dexatrim to Triaminic.

Manufacturers maintain that PPA is safe, arguing there is no proof it causes hemorrhagic strokes.

The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of its advisory panel, but usually follows them. It is considering a ban on PPA.

In Canada, meanwhile, physicians contacted by the CBC said they don't know of any hemorrhagic strokes caused directly by phenylpropanolamine.

CBC TV's medical correspondent, Dr. Brian Goldman, said Canadian doctors think there are probably other factors behind such bleeding – ranging from ignoring proper dosage warnings to taking cocaine or other drugs.