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People should not buy or take four slimming products which have been found to contain undeclared Western medicine ingredients - phenolphthalein and sibutramine - that may cause serious side effects, the Department of Health says.
The products concerned include a ruby capsule that claims to contain bitter melon ingredients, Miyura Fit'x Capsules, and two unknown capsules - an orange and white capsule, and a pearl-white capsule. They were found for sale on an Internet website.
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| Drug alert: The four slimming products in question include a ruby capsule claiming to contain bitter melon ingredients, Miyura Fit'x Capsules, an orange and white capsule, and a pearl-white capsule. | |
Sibutramine is a Western medicine used as an appetite suppressant. Its side effects include increased blood pressure and heart rate, psychosis and possible convulsions. People with heart problems should not take it.
A product with sibutramine must be registered before it can be sold in Hong Kong. It can be sold only on a doctor's prescription and dispensed under a pharmacist's supervision.
Phenolphthalein was once used for treating constipation but has been banned for its cancer-causing effect.
The department urges people not to buy or sell products of unknown or doubtful composition. It has stepped up joint efforts with the Police against the illegal sale of pharmaceutical products on the Internet.
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