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The Department of Health today (June 9) urged people not to buy or take two brands of proprietary Chinese medicines called Chuifong Toukuwan and Nan Lien Chuifong Toukuwan which were found to contain a Western drug ingredient that might cause side effects.
The distributors of the two products have been instructed to recall the products from the market and to surrender them to the department.
A department spokesman said samples of the products were purchased for analysis during a recent routine surveillance operation.
Upon laboratory analysis, it was found to contain a Western drug ingredient - diclofenac.
Diclofenac is a pain killer. Its side-effects are gastro-intestinal disturbances including gastric pain, nausea, vomiting, peptic ulcer and bleeding.
Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, products containing this drug ingredient can only be sold on a doctor's prescription and supervision by a pharmacist.
People who have purchased the products should immediately stop using it and seek medical advice if they feel unwell.
They are advised to dispose of the two products or return the products to the distributors. The enquiry telephone hotline of the distributors is 2793 0123.
They may also submit the products to the Pharmaceutical Service of the department at 3/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon during office hours.
The Department of Health has also set up a hotline 2319 2839 for enquiries during office hours.
Ends/Friday, June 9, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:07
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