Why Numan has taken proactive measures over Vitamin D supplement

Head of Clinical Governance | MBBS, MSc, MRCGP

In February 2024, during an independent audit led by Numan to review the ingredients and labelling of all of our products, we discovered that two ingredients used in our Vitamin D spray are in fact only licensed for use in medicine, and are therefore restricted for use in supplements.

The ingredients in question, E216 and E218, are preservatives commonly used in a plethora of liquid medicinal products. They are safely consumed by millions of adults and children every year, in medicines like Calpol, Gaviscon and many others.

The affected product, our Vitamin D spray supplement that was purchased from a third party supplier, was immediately removed from sale. Concurrently, we proactively communicated with all customers who had received the supplements, explaining the situation and reassuring them they were not at risk. We also offered ongoing support for anyone who wanted further advice.

An investigation subsequently took place to identify the origin of the issue, which was found to be an error in the supply chain by our manufacturing partner. The supplement is now being reformulated.

Numan CEO, Sokratis Papafloratos, explained:

“We take the safety of our patients, and all the regulation that we need to comply with, extremely seriously. We want to reassure customers that the concentration that was included in our supplements was miniscule. According to the European Food Safety Authority, the Acceptable Daily Intake is 0-10 mg/kg body weight per day. Our Vitamin D spray concentration was 0.166 mg per single spay. So as an example, an 80kg person would need to consume more than 4,819 Vitamin sprays per day to exceed the safe limit.

We are continually trying to improve as a healthcare provider and as a business. When something goes wrong we are proactive, transparent and learn from it.”

Numan is registered with the Care Quality Commission as a healthcare provider, and Numan’s supplement distribution partner is registered as a food business operator.

If you previously purchased Numan’s Vitamin D spray and have any questions, please get in touch via [email protected]

Written by Dr Luke Pratsides

Head of Clinical Governance, MBBS, MSc, MRCGP

Dr Luke Pratsides is a General Practitioner working in the NHS, with a background in clinical leadership across digital health. He has advised on the development and governance of health technologies, with a particular focus on evidence-based care, patient safety, and medical communication. He has provided expert medical commentary to national and international media, including The Times, The Independent, Men’s Health, VICE, and other mainstream publications, and is known for translating complex medical topics into clear, accessible public health messaging.

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