Health Canada Warns Against Drinking Hydrogen Peroxide for Medicinal Use

August 21, 2006

Health Canada is warning consumers and patients not to drink products containing hydrogen peroxide for medicinal purposes because they can cause serious harm or death when ingested. Anyone who is currently using hydrogen peroxide in this manner should stop immediately and consult a health care provider.

Ingestion of hydrogen peroxide can cause serious harm or death, as well as irritation or ulcers in the stomach and intestines. Health Canada has not authorized any hydrogen peroxide product advertised to treat AIDS, cancer, emphysema or any other serious and life-threatening diseases. There are, however, several high strength hydrogen peroxide products authorized for sale in Canada as disinfectants and as dental bleaching applications, which are health products for professional use only.

Health Canada advises Canadians to contact the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675 if they find any hydrogen peroxide product advertised in Canada to treat AIDS, cancer, emphysema or any other serious and life-threatening diseases. Consumers requiring more information about this advisory can contact Health Canada’s public enquiry line at (613) 957-2991, or toll free at 1-866-225-0709.

To date, no adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the ingestion of hydrogen peroxide have been reported to Health Canada. To report a suspected adverse reaction to this or any other health 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
Tunney's Pasture, AL 0701C
email: cadrmp@hc-sc.gc.ca.

The CADRMP adverse reaction reporting form, including a version that can be completed and submitted online, is located on the MedEffect portal of the Health Canada Web site.

Health Canada issues Public Warnings when there is a high probability that the use of, or exposure to, a product will cause death or other serious adverse health effects, such that the public should stop using the product immediately.