March 9, 2010 – Omega-3 capsules sold in the United States are believed to contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a contaminant found in the environment. Some of these products are also distributed in Canada.
This is what suggests a class action brought in California against 8 manufacturers of oil obtained from fish, sharks or the liver of these marine species.1.
The applicants have not yet demonstrated their claims to the court.
They allege, however, that after analyzing several brands of omega-3 supplements sold freely in California, some contained a quantity of PCBs higher than the thresholds allowed in that US state.
However, the presence of PCBs should be indicated on the product label, under California law. And that is why the class action lawsuit was brought against the following 8 companies:
- CVS Pharmacy Inc .;
- General Nutrition Corp. (GNC);
- Now Health Group Inc .;
- Omega Protein Inc .;
- Pharmavite LLC (Nature Made brand);
- Rite Aid Corp .;
- Solgar Inc .;
- TwinLab Corp.
Canada’s Fish Oils, Safe
If some manufacturers targeted by the class action distribute their omega supplements in Canada, there is no need to worry, according to pharmacist Jean-Yves Dionne.
But on condition that you read the product label and buy only the omega-3 capsules made in Canada.
“In the United States, products do not need approval to be marketed (…). In Canada, the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) oversees the market for natural health products and requires proof of quality control, ”he explains on his blog2.
According to him, there are two elements that must be monitored to ensure the quality of a product or natural supplement. It must be verified that it is:
- made in Canada or has an NPN (natural product number) issued by the NHPD;
- listed on the International Fish Oil Standard (IFOS) website, a Canadian benchmark for fish oil purity3.
“We are fortunate in the country to have one of the largest suppliers of fish oils in the world [qui élabore] an international quality standard for fish oils, ”he concludes.
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PCBs: a resistant contaminant in the environment Although it has been banned from manufacturing since 1977 in North America, PCBs are very persistent chemicals in the environment. They are found everywhere and humans are always exposed to low amounts of PCBs, especially in certain foods that they consume.4. |
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
1. Some “healty” fish oil supplements come with serious chemical contamination: lawsuit to force warnings, press release issued on March 2, 2010 by the organization Fish Oil Safety (www.fishoilsafety.org).
2. Fish oils: made in the USA?, Personal blog of pharmacist Jean-Yves Dionne, published March 4, 2010 at www.jydionne.com.
3. To consult the IFOS website: www.ifosprogram.com [visité le 10 mars 2010].
4. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Health Canada fact sheet: www.hc-sc.gc.ca [consultée le 10 mars 2010].
