Lead Found in Vietnamese Hemorrhoid Ointment

Due to the risk of lead poisoning, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) urges users of the Vietnamese hemorrhoid ointment called Cao Bôi Trĩ Cây Thầu Dầu​​ (Castor Oil Hemorrhoid Extract) to stop using the ointment immediately and to get their blood tested for lead. The alert follows the death of a woman in Sacramento who developed severe lead poisoning after using the ointment, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The CDPH said the ointment, purchased in Vietnam and shipped to the US, contained 4% (four percent) lead. Exposure to any amount of lead can be harmful.

The HCA, in collaboration with the CDPH, urges anyone who used Cao Bôi Trĩ Cây Thầu Dầu​​ (Castor Oil Hemorrhoid Extract) to immediately:
1.) Stop using the ointment.
2.) Place it in a plastic bag, seal the bag, and call (510) 620-3620 or email toxoutbreak@cdph.ca.gov.
3.) See your health care provider and get your blood tested for lead (venous blood test). Other household members who could have come into contact with the ointment should also have their blood lead tested. Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning.   ​
4.) Residents who have additional questions can call HCA’s Health Referral Line at 1-800-564-8448.

Anyone who has used the ointment can download a letter with instructions for blood lead testing to take to their healthcare provider. The letters are available from the CDPH in English by clicking here and in Vietnamese by clicking here. The CDPH has set up a website with more information: https://go.cdph.ca.gov/Alert-Lead-April-2024.

Healthcare providers with questions can contact California Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for clinical guidance on lead poisoning. For specific recommendations based on your patient’s blood lead level results, see Health-Based Guidelines for Blood Lead Levels in Adults (PDF).