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Further investigations by the Department of Health into the suspected case of syrup medicine containing isopropyl alcohol have revealed that five bottles of syrup prescribed by a private medical practitioner in Yat Tung Shopping Centre, Tung Chung, to his patients contained isopropyl alcohol.
A total of 14 bottles of syrup were submitted by 13 patients for analysis. Tests of the syrup in the five bottles by the Government Laboratory showed that the concentration of isopropyl alcohol ranged from 1.1% to 43%.
A department spokesman said that for the five cases, the doctor was suspected to have supplied a drug unfit for use by man, which is an offence under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance.
Offenders are liable, if convicted, to a maximum penalty of $50,000 fine and six months¡¦ imprisonment.
The 14 bottles of syrup were also found to contain chlorpheniramine (a drug for runny nose and allergy) with a concentration ranging from 1.3mg/5ml to 8.8mg/5ml.
The spokesman said that overdose of chlorpheniramine might lead to dry mouth, sleepiness, slow reaction, dizziness, dilated pupils and flushing.
He said that investigation was continuing to ascertain the source of supply of the syrup seized from the doctor's clinic. They are suspected unregistered pharmaceutical products with concentration of chlorpheniramine ranging from 9.2mg to 9.9mg in 5ml. Isopropyl alcohol was not detected in the syrup.
Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, possession and sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products is an offence liable, on conviction, to a maximum penalty of $100,000 fine and two years' imprisonment.
¡§All evidence obtained will be referred to the Department of Justice with a view to prosecution against the parties concerned,¡¨ he said.
The spokesman said that medical practitioners should ensure that any pharmaceutical products offered for sale were registered before accepting the offer.
¡§The list of all registered pharmaceutical products in Hong Kong can be checked at the website of the Department of Health Pharmaceutical Services http://www.psdh.gov.hk/eps/index.jsp.¡¨
Medical practitioners are encouraged to report to the department¡¦s complaint hotline 2572 2068 on any suspected supply of unregistered pharmaceutical products.
As at today, the department has successfully contacted 29 of the 31 patients who had been prescribed with a transparent syrup for running nose and allergy by the doctor since August this year. The remaining two patients could not be contacted due to wrong telephone numbers.
Of these 29 patients (including a six-year-old boy), seven reported to have symptoms of throat irritation, nausea or vomiting after taking the syrup. The symptoms have subsided already. The six-year-old boy, admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on September 5, was discharged on September 8. All the patients have been provided with health advice.
The hotline 2125 2727 set up by the department has so far received a total of 119 calls. Among them, 14 reported to have received the prescribed syrup from the doctor. They have also been followed-up and given health advice.
Ends/Monday, September 11, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:20
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