Fake Viagra made of bird droppings, warns scientist
March 6th, 2010 - 4:40 pm ICT by IANSWellington, March 6 (DPA) The main ingredient in fake Viagra seized by New Zealand customs officers was guano - bat and bird droppings - a newspaper reported Saturday.
Other medicines intercepted contained whole insects, dust mites, hair and charcoal, Dallas Mildenhall, principal scientist at the state-owned GNS Science research organisation, told The Press, of Christchurch.
The paper said a Viagra pill could cost about 25 New Zealand dollars ($17) in New Zealand, but they could be ordered on the internet for just $1 to $2.
“It’s a big public safety risk,” Clare Strachan, a researcher at Otago University, said.
She said a study of intercepted imported medicines found many were mouldy and contained more or less than the amount of medication stated on the packet, while some contained a completely different drug than the one ordered.
- Warning against Internet 'Viagra' containing bird droppings - Mar 06, 2010
- Free toys of dust mites by easy methods - Oct 18, 2011
- Soon, vaccine to cure asthma brought on by house dust mite allergies - Mar 22, 2011
- FDA Warning On 'Herbal' Supplement Man Up - Dec 15, 2010
- Products to enhance men's sexual performance recalled in NZ - Sep 24, 2010
- Melts-on-tongue 'wafer' can work 'faster' than Viagra - Oct 05, 2010
- 5.1 earthquake near New Zealand's Christchurch city - Jul 22, 2011
- Quake rocks New Zealand - Dec 23, 2011
- $12 mn fake health pill racket busted in China - Feb 06, 2012
- Dust mites 'swarm' around houses in search of moisture - Dec 22, 2010
- Traditional Chinese medicines carry toxic compounds - Apr 16, 2012
- Placebos work - even if patients know they are fake - Dec 23, 2010
- Paracetamol doubles risk of asthma in kids - Nov 30, 2010
- 'Nothing natural about 'Natural Viagra' being sold online' - May 03, 2011
- New 'magnetic pill' could improve body's absorption of drugs - Jan 18, 2011
Tags: bird droppings, charcoal, customs officers, dust mites, insects, main ingredient, medicines, mildenhall, new zealand dollars, otago university, principal scientist, public safety, research organisation, researcher, safety risk, science research, viagra, viagra pill, wellington, zealand customs