Press Release

Wholesaler collects Raptiva for Injection from doctors

4 Jun 2009

A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said today (June 4) that Merck Pharmaceutical (HK) Ltd (Merck), a licensed wholesaler of pharmaceutical products, started collecting Raptiva for Injection from doctors.

Raptiva for Injection, a prescription only medicine, is used for treating patients with moderate to severe chronic psoriasis.

So far, the company has supplied the products to 13 private doctors.

The spokesman said Merck in February 2009 had stopped importing the product and had informed doctors stop using the product owing to its association with a serious side effect of the central nervous system.

"Today's collection of product from doctor is a follow-up action by the wholesaler," the spokesman said.