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The Department of Health today (June 18) appealed to members of the public not to buy or use two products named "Lover Liquid Nutriment Herbal Supplement" (口服液（男性至寶）) and "Onyo" (溫養) respectively as they were found to have contained undeclared drug ingredients that may cause serious side effect.
A spokesman for the department noted that the samples were obtained during strengthened market surveillance recently.
Laboratory tests on "Lover Liquid Nutriment Herbal Supplement" showed the presence of sildenafil while "Onyo" was found to contain sildenafil, acetildenafil (an analogue of sildenafil) and pseudovardenafil (an analogue of vardenafil).
The department immediately conducted operations this afternoon, resulting in the seizure of one box of "Lover Liquid Nutriment Herbal Supplement" and 367 boxes of "Onyo" from retailers and distributors. Distributors were ordered to recall the products from the market.
The spokesman said sildenafil and vardenafil are used for treating erectile dysfunction. The spokesman said the side effects of these drug ingredients and their analogues include low blood pressure, headache, vomiting, dizziness, and transient vision disturbances. They may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and may lower blood pressure of patients to dangerous levels.
Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, products containing sildenafil and vardenafil must be registered before sale and can only be sold on a doctor's prescription and under supervision of a pharmacist.
Members of the public who have bought the products are advised not to take them. They are urged to seek advice from their doctors if feeling unwell after consuming the product.
They should destroy and dispose of the products or submit them to the department's Pharmaceutical Service at 3/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon during office hours.
The importer of "Lover Liquid Nutriment Herbal Supplement", Good Harvest (Asia) Trading Co. Ltd., has set up a telephone hotline 2581 1283 for enquiries. The importer of "Onyo", Fair Villa Life Sciences Ltd has also set up a telephone hotline 2543 3237 for enquiries.
The spokesman urged people who had a problem of sexual dysfunction to consult healthcare professionals for appropriate advice if necessary.
Reprinted from HKSAR Government web page:
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200806/18/P200806180300.htm