The Department of Health today (March 9) urged people not to buy or use a herbal product "藍梅顆粒劑" (Lanmei Keili Ji) which was found to have contained an undeclared Western drug ingredient that may cause side effects.
A department spokesman said samples of the product had been obtained for investigation after a report had been received from the Hospital Authority concerning a 35-day-old baby boy who had taken the product and was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital last month because of hypoglycaemic attack (low blood sugar level). The baby had recovered and been discharged from hospital.
The product was obtained from the Mainland by the baby's parents to treat his brother's cough problem.
The spokesman said the department has no record of the product having been imported into Hong Kong for sale or submitted for registration.
Upon laboratory analysis, the product was found to have contained the Western drug ingredient - gliclazide.
Gliclazide is used for the management of diabetes and should only be used under medical supervision. It may lead to hypoglycaemia if used in a person without diabetes. The known side-effects of gliclazide include nausea and gastro-intestinal upset.
Products containing gliclazide are Third Schedule poisons under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, which can only be sold on a doctor's prescription and under supervision by a pharmacist.
As a precautionary measure, people who have been using the product should stop using it immediately and seek advice from their doctors as soon as possible.
Anyone who is in possession of the product should dispose of it or submit it to the Pharmaceutical Service of the department at 3/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon, during office hours.
Reprinted from HKSAR Government web page:
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200703/09/P200703090154.htm