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24 January 2008
UTRECHT – A spokesperson for the Dutch Patient and Consumer Association (NPCF) said on Wednesday that the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (VWA) should investigate the safety of consuming yoghurt drink Yakult.
It was announced on Wednesday that 24 Dutch patients had died while taking part in clinical trials into the use of probiotics. The University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMCU) said that products like Yakult also contain probiotics. Yakult reportedly aids the functioning of the intestines.
A spokesperson for UMCU said on Wednesday that it is not advisable for extremely ill people in intensive care to use these kinds of products.
The NPCF thinks that the situation should be cleared up for the consumer. Products like Yakult are easily available in the supermarket. "If there is no danger, consumers would like to know this," the spokesperson for the patient association said.
A spokesperson for the VWA says it first wants to wait for the outcome of the Healthcare Inspectorate’s investigation into probiotics and the deaths in the clinical trials. The product safety authority will then make a decision on whether to investigate Yakult and similar products.
A spokesperson for Yakult Nederland says that the company has no doubts about the safety of its product.
[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2008]
Subject: Dutch news