There are stringent guidelines in place for healthcare professionals in public hospitals to follow in checking the packaging and sterilisation standard of syringes before use, the Hospital Authority says.

Syringes with any noticed defects will be discarded immediately and not used on patients, it added.

In response to enquiries on the recent voluntary recall of a batch of syringes by a supplier, the authority said the needles were manufactured by Becton Dickinson in the US.

The recall was based on the manufacturer's concern the syringes' package seal integrity could have been adversely affected when the product was exposed to low atmospheric pressure at high altitudes during air shipment.

The authority has confirmed with the supplier the concerned batch of syringes was shipped to Hong Kong by sea. Therefore the syringes' package seal integrity should not be at risk.