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A retail shop in Tuen Mun was raided today (June 26) in a joint operation by the Department of Health (DH) and the Police for suspected illegal sale and possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products.
Following a public complaint, it was found that the above retail shop has been offering for sale various unregistered pharmaceutical products. During today's operation, various pain killers, eye-drops and external preparations, all labelled in Japanese, were seized. Preliminary investigation indicated that the products contain ibuprofen, neostigmine, dexamethasone, fluocinolone and neomycin. Hong Kong pharmaceutical product registration numbers were not found on any of the products' label.
Three women aged 24 to 32 were arrested by the Police for suspected sale and possession of Part I poisons, unregistered pharmaceutical products and antibiotics in the operation.
The DH's investigation is ongoing.
Ibuprofen, neostigmine, dexamethasone and fluocinolone are Part I poisons. Side effects of ibuprofen include gastrointestinal bleeding while eye-drops with neostigmine may cause ocular pain and irritation as well as blurred vision.Inappropriate use of steroids like dexamethasone and fluocinolone may cause serious side-effects such as Cushing's Syndrome. Neomycin is an antibiotic and inappropriate use of antibiotics may lead to antibiotics resistance.
According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap 138), all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board before they can be sold legally in the market. Part I poisons should be sold at pharmacies under the supervision of registered pharmacists. Illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and Part I poisons are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment. According to the Antibiotics Ordinance (Cap 137), illegal sale or possession of antibiotics is also a criminal offence. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $30,000 and one year's imprisonment.
"Use of unregistered pharmaceutical products may pose health threats to people as their safety, efficacy and quality are not guaranteed. Members of the public should not self-medicate without advice from healthcare professionals," a spokesman for the DH explained.
The DH strongly urges members of the public not to buy or use unregistered pharmaceutical products. All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of "HK-XXXXX".
"People who have purchased and used the above products should stop using them and consult healthcare professionals for advice if they feel unwell. They may submit the products to the DH's Drug Office at Room 1856, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, during office hours for disposal," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, June 26, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:25
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