OTTAWA — Health Canada has seized a number of unauthorized health products from a store in Richmond, B.C., that it says “may pose serious health risks” to users.

The federal department says the Tokyo Beauty and Healthcare store located in the Aberdeen Centre mall was selling a number of items for skin treatment or cold-symptom relief labelled as containing prescription or controlled drugs.

Health Canada says two of the items were labelled to contain aminocaproic acid, an ingredient in prescription drugs used to decrease bleeding, but which may cause dizziness, nausea and muscle weakness.

The department says this is the second time in the past few months that unauthorized health products were seized from a Tokyo Beauty and Healthcare store.

Last September, Health Canada said it seized a number of products from another Richmond location that had ingredients that should only be used “under the advice and supervision of a health care professional.”

The department says the sale of unauthorized health products is illegal because they have not been assessed by Health Canada for safety and quality, which can be dangerous if certain ingredients interact with other medications or foods.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press