North Vancouver man charged with selling unauthorized health supplements

A North Vancouver, B.C., man is facing 10 charges for allegedly manufacturing and selling products and supplements that Health Canada says could have posed serious health risks.

The charges under the Food and Drugs Act against Robert Lamberton are related to products that were sold through his business between Sept. 4, 2017, and Nov. 8, 2017, in North Vancouver, Burnaby, B.C., and Calgary.

In 2017, Health Canada issued a warning about all products sold through a company called Robert Lamberton Consulting, which also operates under the names Cutting Edge Naturals and Cutting Edge Nutraceuticals.

The federal agency said the products were made in unsanitary conditions at a site that was unlicensed.

Testing found a product called "Smart Brain Formulations Serotonin Support" was contaminated with E. coli.

It was also labelled as containing lithium orotate, a prescription drug that should be used under supervision of a health care professional.

"Health Canada inspectors observed dirty manufacturing surfaces and equipment, and ingredients that were being stored in unsealed containers," the agency said in its 2017 alert about the products.

"Unsanitary manufacturing conditions can lead to issues such as bacterial contamination, which can pose serious health risks, especially for those with a weakened immune system."

The charges against Lamberton include unlawfully selling a prescription drug, dealing with a drug in a manner that misleads or deceives, packaging, storing and selling drugs in unsanitary conditions, and advertising a product as a treatment, prevention or cure.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Lamberton is scheduled to appear in provincial court in North Vancouver on May 16.

On his website, Lamberton is described as a "bio-hacker," a functional medicine consultant and a maker of nutritional products. It says he works with patients to resolve health issues and "reverse their biological age."