A retail shop in Admiralty was raided today (May 13) in a joint operation by the Department of Health (DH) and the Police for suspected illegal sale and possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products.
Upon the investigation of a public complaint, the DH found that a suspected unregistered pharmaceutical product, namely Mega CoQ 10, was being offered for sale by a retail shop in Admiralty. The unregistered pharmaceutical product found was labelled as containing vitamin E. No Hong Kong pharmaceutical product registration number was found on the product label. Preliminary investigation so far has revealed that the product was sourced by the company outside Hong Kong.
A subsequent raid of the shop's nearby head office found some other suspected unregistered pharmaceutical products labelled as containing vitamins and glucosamine (see attachment). Pharmaceutical products containing vitamins and glucosamine are usually over-the-counter medicines commonly used as nutritional supplements and for joint problems respectively. The company was suspected of illegal sale and possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products.
During the operation, three women aged between 30 and 54 were arrested by the Police for suspected illegal sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products.
The DH's investigation is continuing.
According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap 138), all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold legally in the market. Sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.
A DH spokesman strongly urged members of the public not to buy or use unregistered pharmaceutical products from the market as such products have not been evaluated by the Board and their safety, quality and efficacy are not guaranteed. All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format "HK-XXXXX". Members of the public who have bought the above products should stop taking them immediately, and consult health-care professionals if they are in doubt or feeling unwell after using them. They may submit the products to the Drug Office of the DH at Room 1856, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, during office hours for disposal.
Upon the investigation of a public complaint, the DH found that a suspected unregistered pharmaceutical product, namely Mega CoQ 10, was being offered for sale by a retail shop in Admiralty. The unregistered pharmaceutical product found was labelled as containing vitamin E. No Hong Kong pharmaceutical product registration number was found on the product label. Preliminary investigation so far has revealed that the product was sourced by the company outside Hong Kong.
A subsequent raid of the shop's nearby head office found some other suspected unregistered pharmaceutical products labelled as containing vitamins and glucosamine (see attachment). Pharmaceutical products containing vitamins and glucosamine are usually over-the-counter medicines commonly used as nutritional supplements and for joint problems respectively. The company was suspected of illegal sale and possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products.
During the operation, three women aged between 30 and 54 were arrested by the Police for suspected illegal sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products.
The DH's investigation is continuing.
According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap 138), all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold legally in the market. Sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.
A DH spokesman strongly urged members of the public not to buy or use unregistered pharmaceutical products from the market as such products have not been evaluated by the Board and their safety, quality and efficacy are not guaranteed. All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format "HK-XXXXX". Members of the public who have bought the above products should stop taking them immediately, and consult health-care professionals if they are in doubt or feeling unwell after using them. They may submit the products to the Drug Office of the DH at Room 1856, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, during office hours for disposal.
