Health alert: Imported Ayurvedic medicines lead contaminated

The Victorian Department of Health is warning about cases of lead poisoning caused by the ingestion of imported Ayurvedic medicines contaminated with heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead.

Some Ayurvedic medicines for sale in grocery stores in Victoria contain ingredients – including lead – that are scheduled poisons and prohibited for supply and use in Australia due to posing a danger to human health.

An ‘AUST R’ or ‘AUST L’ number on the packaging of products indicates that they are safe and can be legally supplied in Australia. Ayurvedic medicines purchased or imported from overseas or purchased in Victoria where the product does not have this number may risk your health. The Victorian Department of Health recommends that people immediately stop consuming Ayurvedic medicines without an ‘AUST R’ or ‘AUST L’ on the packaging.

For more information, visit the Department of Health website: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/health-advisories/ayurvedic-medicines-possibly-containing-scheduled-poisons-and-heavy-metals