Medicine found to have exceeded heavy metal limit

22 Jan 2010

The Department of Health (DH) today (January 22) urged members of the public not to buy or use a medicine named "Bao Shu Tang Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan", as it was found to have exceeded heavy metal limit.

The appeal was made in view of the laboratory findings about maximum permitted level of lead in the product being exceeded. The product was found during DH's market surveillance exercise.

A spokesman for the department said, "chronic exposure to lead may lead to anaemia, joint and muscle pain, brain and kidney damage."

DH had initiated investigation and inspected the wholesaler "Hong Kong Wah Sheng Medical Limited" today and instructed the wholesaler to recall the medicine from the market.

The wholesaler has set up a hotline 2548 3811 to answer public enquiries about recall arrangement.

"Hong Kong Wah Sheng Medical Limited" has earlier submitted an application for proprietary Chinese medicine registration to Chinese Medicines Board (CMB) of the Chinese Medicine Council regarding "Bao Shu Tang Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan". The application will be considered with the recent laboratory finding in the coming CMB meeting in February.

The spokesman urged members of the public who have used "Bao Shu Tang Wu Zi Yan Zong Wan" to stop taking it immediately and seek advice from healthcare professionals if they feel unwell.

They should submit the medicine to the DH's Chinese Medicines Section on the second floor, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon during office hours, or destroy them before disposal.