The Department of Health (DH) today (March 30) advised members of the public not to buy and use the "slimming health food" Slim Smile which contained a western drug ingredient.
Slim Smile is not registered under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.
A spokesman for DH said: "Slim Smile contains mazindol --- a psychotropic drug with central nervous system stimulant property. The adverse effects of mazindol include nervousness, fatigue, irregular heart beat, insomnia, dizziness, headache and abdominal cramps.
Members of the public who have purchased the 'slimming health food', are advised to immediately stop using it, dispose of it or return it to the importer concerned."
Slim Smile is sold in the form of capsules and is imported from the United States.
The spokesman said: "The importer of Slim Smile, Prestige Cosmetics (Hong Kong) Ltd, has been instructed to recall its product from the market and to surrender it to DH by 12 noon tomorrow (March 31).
Products containing western medicine are pharmaceutical products and must be registered under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance before they are allowed to be put on sale. Moreover, pharmaceutical products containing mazindol can only be sold on a doctor's prescription."
The spokesman reminded importers and retailers that the possession and sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products was an offence liable to a maximum penalty of $100,000 fine and two years' imprisonment. DH had recently received a complaint against the "slimming health food" and found that it contains mazindol. Investigations are continuing.
In addition, DH also has a surveillance programme to regularly sample and analyse "health food" and proprietary Chinese medicine to detect the presence of western medicine ingredients.
The spokesman said: "For weight control programmes, members of the public should observe good dietary practice and appropriate physical activities. Before using drugs for weight reduction, they should first consult their family doctors."
The telephone number of Prestige Cosmetics (Hong Kong) Ltd is 2155 6808 (Office hours only).
March 30, 2001
Reprinted from HKSAR Government web page :
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200103/30/0330247.htm