Women’s Lobby Calls For Compensation And Explanation On Contaminated Vitamin D Pregnancy Supplements
The Malta Women’s Lobby expressed serious concern following reports that the number of women being treated for taking Folidi, a pregnancy supplement marketed and sold locally with dangerously high levels of vitamin D, has increased to 40.
“This is not a case of personal misuse or over-supplementation. These women took a product marketed as safe, in line with health advice, and ended up seriously ill. According to the latest media reports, 15 were hospitalised at some point, and one remains in hospital. Others reported miscarriages,” wrote Malta Women’s Lobby in a statement.
Women who consumed Folidi containing 300 times the labelled dose include 16 pregnant women, whilst others are trying to conceive.
The Malta Women’s Lobby went on to demand full accountability. The NGO also pointed out how questions by a local newsroom made regarding the incident to the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, under which the Food Safety Commission falls, remain unanswered.
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The NGO went on to call upon the Maltese authorities responsible to publish a statement on the below issues:
- A clear, public explanation, from the health authorities and food safety entities responsible, about how this product reached and was launched into the Maltese market.
- Full disclosure of all testing data, affected batches, and a clear timeline of when regulators were first alerted and what steps were taken.
The statement went on to urge Malta’s medical and food safety institutions to treat this incident as a critical public health incident of international relevance, and to thoroughly document the short- and long-term effects on those effected. Research and follow-up should be conducted with consent, care, and in collaboration with the women concerned.
“We also call for Long-Term Support for Women and Families. The women impacted by this incident deserve free medical monitoring, psychological support and, where appropriate, compensation for the pain, suffering and uncertainty they now face,” wrote the NGO in their statement.
Was your health impacted by the higher dose of Folidi? Reach out to [email protected] to share your story.
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