051201en05007

	news.gov.hk
	From Hong Kong's Information Services Department

December 1, 2005

Health

Caution issued on proprietary Chinese medicine

The Department of Health warns consumers not to buy Chinese medicine Fufang Danshen Pian and pharmaceutical product Troxerutin tablets that contain Western drug ingredients paracetamol, phenacetin and aminopyrine.

Paracetamol is a pain killer which can cause liver damage if taken in high doses. Phenacetin may cause haemolytic anaemia while aminopyrine may lead to agranulocytosis. The latter two are banned in Hong Kong.

Consumer caution: Consumers should not buy Chinese medicine Fufang Danshen Pian and pharmaceutical product Troxerutin tablets.

The appeal followed an investigation into a case involving a 47-year-old man who had been taking the medicine in question obtained from the Mainland for hypertension.

He was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital for chest pain on October 31. He has recovered and been discharged. However, his chest pain was not caused by the products.

The department has no record of these products being imported into Hong Kong. Authorities in the Mainland and Macau have been informed.

People with hypertension should consult medical professionals for appropriate advice or medication if necessary. Those who have been using the products should seek medical attention if they feel unwell. For health enquiries call 2319 2839.

They should dispose of the products or submit the products to the department's Pharmaceutical Service at the third floor, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon.