***********************************************************
A retail shop in Tsuen Wan was raided by the Department of Health (DH) and the Police in a joint operation today (February 19). The shop was found to be selling unregistered pharmaceutical products with undeclared controlled drug ingredients.
Upon the investigation of a public complaint, the DH found that the shop was selling virility products. Analysis conducted by the Government Laboratory revealed that three products contain undeclared Part I poisons. The products concerned are Maxman-II, which contains sildenafil and tadalafil; Jolex, which contains tadalafil; and Shenghe Zunbao, which contains sildenafil.
During the operation, a 37-year-old male seller was arrested for suspected illegal sale of Part I poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products. Upon further investigation, another suspected unregistered pharmaceutical product, namely Procomil Spray, which was labelled as containing a Part I poison called lignocaine, was also found in the shop.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are both prescription drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and should only be supplied at pharmacies under the supervision of a registered pharmacist and upon the production of a doctor's prescription. The side effects of sildenafil and tadalafil are similar, including low blood pressure, headache, vomiting, dizziness and transient vision disturbances. It may interact with some drugs (such as nitroglycerin for treatment of angina) and cause a decrease in blood pressure to dangerous levels. Improper use of sildenafil and tadalafil may pose serious health risks, especially for patients with heart problems.
Lignocaine is a local anaesthetic for the relief of pain or to desensitise skin before minor operations. Common side effects include a hypersensitive reaction. Products containing lignocaine can only be sold in a pharmacy under the supervision of a pharmacist.
According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap 138), all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold legally in the market. Illegal sale and possession of Part I poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.
The DH's investigation is continuing.
A DH spokesperson strongly urged members of the public not to buy or use products of unknown or doubtful composition. In addition, they should not buy or use unregistered pharmaceutical products as such products have not been evaluated by the Board and their safety, quality and efficacy may not be guaranteed. All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of "HK-XXXXX".
Members of the public who have bought the above products should stop using them immediately. They should consult health-care professionals for advice if they are in doubt or feeling unwell after using the products. They may submit them to the DH's Drug Office at Room 1856, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, during office hours for disposal.
Ends/Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 19:01
NNNN
