11 May 2010
The Department of Health (DH) said today (May 11) that testing on Zhongya Brand Tzepao Sanpien Pills (Honey Pill) by Government Laboratory revealed that the drug's lead level was within Hong Kong's permissible limit.
A spokesman said DH inspectors examined the premises of the local sole agent of Zhongya Brand on May 5, 2010, after surveillance finding showed that the Singaporean authority had detected excessive level of lead in the Pill (batch number 551001).
The agent revealed that its import was of a different batch. Sales record confirmed the claim. Hence, samples of available Zhong Ya Brand Tzepao Sanpien Pills (Honey Pill) (HKP-00861) were collected for heavy metal analysis. All test results, including lead, were satisfactory.
The spokesman added that according to the Department's market surveillance records, six previous testings on Tzepao Sanpien Pills (Honey Pill) for heavy metals, lead included, between 2009-10 were all satisfactory.
"All findings indicated that the affected batch of Zhongya Brand Tzepao Sanpien Pill reported by the Singaporean authorities was not available in Hong Kong's market," the spokesman remarked.