Health Canada has issued an advisory warning people not to buy or use the sexual-enhancement drug Liviro3, due to possible health side-effects.

The supplement, which is not for sale in Canada but can be purchased over the internet, was found by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to contain tadalafil — a prescription drug that can pose potential cardiac risks to patients with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases.

Tadalafil is only meant to be taken under the guidance of a health professional.

Using tadalafil can lead to side-effects such as headaches, flushing, nasal congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, flu syndrome, blood in the urine, prolonged erection and vision problems or even temporary blindness, the Health Canada advisory said.

Drug makers Ebek Inc., which manufactures Liviro3, has recalled the drug and also cautioned consumers there is counterfeit Liviro3 being sold on the market. Consumers are told to stay away from any product labelled Liviro3.

To minimize the risks associated with buying health products online, Health Canada advised consumers to only buy prescription drugs from a licensed pharmacy using a prescription from a doctor who has personally examined them.

They should not order medical products off a website if the site:
- Refuses to give a street address, telephone number, and a way of contacting a pharmacist.
- Offers prescription drugs without a prescription.
- Offers to issue a prescription based on answers to an online questionnaire.
- Claims to have a "miracle cure" for any serious condition.
- Sells products that are not authorized for sale by Health Canada.

Drugs and natural health products that are authorized for sale in Canada will have either an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) on the label. These numbers indicate that the products have been assessed by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness and quality.

If consumers find Liviro3 being sold at a Canadian retail outlet or via the internet, they are asked to call the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675.

Questions about this warning can be answered by calling Health Canada at 613-957-2991, or toll free at 1-866-225-0709.

To report a suspected adverse reaction to this product, please contact the Canadian Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Program (CADRMP) of Health Canada by one of the following methods:

Telephone: 1-866-234-2345
Facsimile: 1-866-678-6789
CADRMP
Marketed Health Products Directorate
Ottawa, ON,
AL 0701C
K1A 0K9
e-mail: cadrmp@hc-sc.gc.ca