The product, sold illegally in a Thai grocery shop in Kowloon City, contained four types of pills - pink tablets, yellow capsules, orange tablets and brown capsules.
The Department of Health (DH) today (August 3) called on members of the public not to use an unregistered medicine which was sold in a plastic medicine bag containing four types of pills with western drug ingredients.
All the pills were found to contain western medicine. The pink tablet was found to contain orphenadrine, the yellow capsule contained indomethacin; the orange tablet contained diclofenac and the brown capsule contained vitamin B2 and nicotinamide.
Orphenadrine is a muscle relaxant. Indomethacin and diclofenac are pain killers. All these western medicines should only be used under medical supervision. Orphenadrine can cause dryness of mouth, blurred vision and irregular heart rate. Indomethacin and diclofenac can cause gastro-intestinal discomfort. Products containing these drug ingredients are classified as Third Schedule poisons under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, i.e. they can only be sold on a doctor's prescription and dispensed under a pharmacist's supervision. Vitamin B2 and nicotinamide are vitamins. Medicines containing Vitamin B2 and nicotinamide should be registered before sale.
The product had been purchased and brought in from Thailand by the person in charge of the shop. The DH has no record of this product having been legally imported into Hong Kong for sale, or having been submitted for registration.
The appeal followed an investigation into a case involving a 58-year-old man who was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on May 19 for drowsiness, agitation and disorientation.
The man took the product in early April 2005 for sciatica. The man has recovered. There is no evidence that his symptoms were caused by the product.
Apart from 28 bags of the product found, 88 items of other suspected Part I poisons, antibiotics, and dangerous drugs were also found in the shop. All these were seized, and prosecution action is being taken against the offenders.
Members of the public who have been using the product are advised to immediately stop taking them and to seek medical attention if they feel unwell.
People with sciatica should consult medical professionals for appropriate advice or medication if necessary.
Members of the public are urged to dispose of the product or submit it to the DH's Pharmaceutical Service on the third floor, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon during office hours.
Members of the public may call DH's telephone hotline at 2319 2839 during office hours for enquiries.
Reprinted from HKSAR Government web page:
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200508/03/08030217.htm