Warning over toxic fake toothpaste

The pharmaceutical maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) today warned that fake tubes of its Sensodyne toothpaste on sale in the UK contain a chemical used to thicken anti-freeze.

The counterfeit 50ml tubes of Sensodyne Original and Sensodye Mint contained diethylene glycol, which is toxic to young children and anyone with impaired liver or kidney function, the manufacturer warned.

The alert comes a few days after more than 120,000 tubes of toothpaste were seized by Italian and Spanish authorities amid fears that the same chemical was being passed off as glycerine. The Italian and Spanish tubes were believed to have been imported from China, which is in the middle of a product safety crisis.

Last month the same chemical was found in fake Colgate toothpaste on sale in the US.

A GSK spokeswoman today said the UK fakes were also being linked to China. "It seems to be an industry issue worldwide. We have increased vigilance after the US Food and Drug Administration ordered testing for diethylene glycol," she said. "It is fair to suggest that it is all part of the same worries about fake products imported from China."

The fake product was sold in packaging with both English and Arabic wording, the manufacturer said. Toothpaste in English-only packaging was genuine and unaffected by the scare.

Britain's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said in a statement: "GlaxoSmithKline have informed us that fake toothpaste products in combined Arabic with English livery packs have been sold in unauthorised markets and discount shops and are a potential danger to public health.

"Tests indicate that the products contain diethylene glycol at levels which could be toxic to young children and anyone with impaired liver or kidney function.

"Legitimate Sensodyne labelled only in English and sourced from authorised suppliers is not defective and the public can continue to purchase and use these products with confidence."

The agency said the tubes were known to be on sale illegally in discount shops and market stalls in Britain. The fakes had no connection with GSK, the MHRA said. It has listed known details of the fake tubes on its website.

Earlier this week, Spanish authorities said they had seized toothpaste probably tainted by the same chemical that contaminated medicine in Panama last year, causing dozens of deaths. No one in Europe is known to have been harmed.

The Spanish tubes were of a type normally handed out in hospitals, hotels and on aeroplanes.

Late yesterday, China's quality and inspection watchdog banned the used of diethylene glycol, although it insisted there was no evidence the chemical was harmful. It said the move would "avoid exporters suffering unnecessary losses".

The chemical is similar to, but much cheaper than, glycerine, which is widely used as a syrup in medicines and toothpaste.

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