FDA warns against use of unregistered insecticides

MANILA, Philippines - At least 17 household insecticides are being sold in the market although they are not registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In an advisory, the FDA said the products, which are mostly manufactured in China, are “dangerous to health since the active ingredient is unknown and may cause harm to consumers.”

“There are insecticides that are banned in the Philippines, and these toxic products are being smuggled and dumped in the country,” the agency warned.

These products are Tianshi Insect Killer 750 ml Aerosol Can (Spray), HangZhou Huayi Aerosol Co. Ltd.; Big Bie Pai Extra Power Flying Insect Killer 750 ml Aerosol Can (Spray) HangZhou Huayi Aerosol Co. Ltd.; General Toad Aerosol Insecticide 750 mL Aerosol Can (Spray), Beijing Chuyan Industry and Trade Centre; Wawang Frogking Insecticide Aerosol 750 mlL (Rose) Aerosol Can (Spray) Wawang (Fujian) Daily Chemical Ind. Co. Ltd.; Sun Universe Frogking Insecticide Aerosol Lemon 750 ml Aerosol Can (Spray) Wawang (Fujian) Daily Chemical Ind. Co. Ltd.; Read a Dream Insecticide Spray 600 ml, Aerosol Can (Spray) Yuanlong (Fujian) Commodity Co. Ltd., Jinjiang City, Fujian Province; Baolilai Aerosol Insecticide 750 ml Aerosol Can (Spray) Huangzhu Huayi Aerosol Co. Ltd-Huanzhou City; Big Bie Pai Aerosol Insecticide 750 ml Aerosol Can (Spray) Huangzhu Huayi Aerosol Co. Ltd-Huanzhou City; BaoMa Black Mosquito Repellent Incense Coil, Fujian Jinjiang Benna Mosquito Repellent Incense Co., Ltd.; Juzhongwang Black Mosquito Repellent Coil, Juzhongwang, China; Kingba Mini-Smoke Mosquito Repeller Coil, Kingba, China; Tianshi Black Mosquito Repellent Incense Coil, HangZhou Aerosol Co. Ltd.; Read A Dream Black Mosquito Repellant Incense Coil and Green Leaf Powder Cockroach Killing Bait 5g Powder (Sachet) Beijing Greenleaf Century Daily Use Chemical Co. Ltd., all from China.

The only locally-produced insecticeds  are Natural Insect Repellent 50 ml Solution, which is distributed by Vitamin World Corp., Philippines and Butiki Water-based Multi-Insect Killer – Jasmine 750 ml Aerosol Can (Spray).  The Wawang Mosquito Coil is of unknown sources but it’s package has foreign characters.

The FDA warned that the products in aerosol cans, mosquito coils and body sprays may be “harmful, toxic and imminently dangerous to human and animal health.”

The agency added that it approves only insecticides that are low in “mammalian toxicity” but could knock the insects down upon contact.

“Insecticides used at home are classified as household hazardous substances and the FDA makes sure that highly toxic substances should not be used in homes with pets or children. There are insecticides which should be properly labeled,” the FDA said.

The FDA claimed that insecticides that have side effects for asthmatics must carry “health warnings.”

“There are situations when active ingredients interfere with the metabolism of prescribed medications people are taking for a serious illness, thereby causing complication,” the FDA added.

The FDA has urged consumers to make sure that they buy only products that pass the safety and efficacy assessment of the agency.

“The FDA is calling on the Bureau of Custom to remain vigilant in preventing the entry of toxic substances in the country,” the advisory showed.

The agency had also requested local government units to ensure that these unregistered toxic insecticides products are confiscated and kept “away from the reach of the consumers.”