Total recall: Consumers are advised to avoid slimming product Bellefemme Slimupformula, which contains the drug sibutramine.

Consumers are advised to avoid slimming product Bellefemme Slimupformula, which contains the drug sibutramine. The product is not registered under the Pharmacy & Poisons Ordinance.

The Department of Health said products containing Western medicine are regarded as pharmaceuticals and must be registered before they can be sold. Pharmaceutical products containing sibutramine can only be sold with a doctor's prescription.

Sibutramine is an appetite suppressant with side effects like increased blood pressure and heart rate. People with heart problems should not take it.

Those who have purchased the product should immediately stop using it and see a doctor if they feel unwell. They are advised to dispose of it or return it to the importer. The department has instructed the importer to recall the product and surrender it.

Consumers can call the importer's hotline, 2660 0688, for matters related to the recall. The department has also set up a hotline, 2319 2839, for other enquiries. It will be open until 8pm today and during office hours from tomorrow.

The department reminded importers and retailers that possession and sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products is an offence liable to a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and two years' prison.

For weight control, people should observe good dietary practice and appropriate physical activities. Before using drugs for weight reduction, they should first consult a doctor.