The Department of Health has ordered Hong Kong Medicine Manufactory to recall immediately seven brands of bak foong pills with production batch numbers 040607 and 050607, because they contained more lead than permitted.

The department looked into the proprietary Chinese medicine following a referral from the Macau Government.

Product recall: Wintex Tong, Po Ling Brand and Chung San Brand are among the seven brands of bak foong pills that are being recalled.

The products in question are sold in the market under the brand names of Wintex Tong, Chung San Brand, Fung Sen Brand, Golden Ship Brand, Tin Fung Brand, Green Leaf Brand and Po Ling Brand.

Lead poisoning leads to anaemia, kidney failure, adverse effects on the nervous, digestive and circulatory systems - or even death.

The manufacturer, Hong Kong Medicine Manufactory, has been instructed to immediately recall these products from the market and to surrender them to the department.

People who have purchased the specific batches of these products should stop using them, dispose of the product or surrender it to the department's Pharmaceutical Service at 3/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon, during office hours.

For enquiries on the recall, call the manufacturer's hotline, 2421 6382. The department has also set up a telephone enquiry service, 2319 5119, to answer questions during office hours.