Lethal dieting pills for sale online

The medical watchdog has issued a public warning on the dangers of buying potentially lethal diet pills online.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority issued the alert after reports that a woman died in Britain after taking the highly toxic substance known as dinitrophenol (DNP) — commonly used in dieting products.

The HPRA has said it’s worried a number of Irish people have already bought slimming pills containing the deadly substance online and may be at risk of serious harm.

Eloise Aimee Parry, 21, from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, died after taking DNP.

She began feeling unwell at lunchtime on Sunday, April 12, after taking the drugs, and died in hospital.

Her mother, Fiona Parry, said two tablets were a lethal dose and her daughter had accidentally taken eight.

“She had taken even more of these slimming tablets than recommended on the pack and had no idea just how dangerous they really were,” said Ms Parry.

“How many of us have ever thought: ‘If one tablet works, surely it won’t hurt to take one or two more’?”

Doctors worked desperately to stabilise the college student, who died just hours after being admitted to the emergency department.

“She had taken so much DNP that the consequences were inevitable. They never stood a chance of saving her. She burned and crashed,” said Ms Parry.

Ms Parry said her daughter had not intended to take her own life. “She just never really understood how dangerous the tablets that she took were,” she said.

She said the industrial chemical that Eloise had ingested was a deadly toxin that was similar to TNT in structure.

“TNT is an explosive,” she said. “DNP causes your metabolism to run at an explosive level, with potentially fatal consequences.”

The cause of Eloise’s death will be confirmed by a coroner at a later date.

Police in Britain are investigating where Eloise bought the pills that cost around £100 for 100 capsules containing 200mg of DNP.

Ms Parry said she did not know her daughter had bought the slimming pills online.

She said emergency staff at the hospital did all they could to stabilise her. “As the drug kicked in and started to make her metabolism soar, they attempted to cool her down but they were fighting an uphill battle.

“She was literally burning up from within. When she stopped breathing, they put her on a ventilator and carried on fighting to save her.

“When her heart stopped they couldn’t revive her.”

The HPRA has warned that tablets and powders containing DNP are not fit for human consumption and could cause serious harm.

The authority has warned against buying slimming products that may be available illegally online as they have been found to contain unauthorised products. Sometimes the substances are undeclared on the pack.

While only a small number of tablets containing DNP have been seized by the HPRA to date, there is concern that Irish consumers may have already bought slimming products containing the deadly substance online.

The HPRA advises consumers who feel any ill-effects from taking any product containing DNP to contact their doctor immediately. Any remaining quantity should not be taken.

“As the internet is an unregulated source of supply of slimming products and other medicines, we are concerned that products containing this substance may have been purchased by Irish consumers,” it stated yesterday.

HPRA is urging the public to assist in its investigations. It can be contacted in confidence by email [e-mail] or by phone at 01 6343436.

The authority noted that the investigation into Eloise’s death was ongoing and that it might update its advice in the light of that.

The authority has produced a leaflet entitled Dangers of Buying Medicines Online, which is available at www.hpra.ie.

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