Skip to content

Press Release

Warning on orally consumed product with banned and undeclared western drug ingredients

23 Dec 2011

The Department of Health (DH) today (December 23) appeals to members of the public not to take an oral product named糖人365康巽牌桑葛活胰素膠囊(with Chinese name only), as it has been found to contain at least four undeclared western drugs, one of which is a banned item in Hong Kong.

The announcement follows DH's investigation into a Hospital Authority (HA) notification, about a patient who had history of consuming the above product meant specifically for people with high blood sugar. The patient is a 67-year-old Chinese man with diabetes mellitus and requires anti-diabetic medications for control. He was admitted to Tseung Kwan O Hospital because of dizziness and chest discomfort on December 13.

"The patient claims that he has been using糖人365康巽牌桑葛活胰素膠囊for his diabetes for about two years. He bought the product from a drug store in Kunming, Yunnan Province. HA's preliminary laboratory test on a sample of the product found multiple western medicines, amongst which is a banned drug, phenformin," a DH spokesman reveals.

"With information available, the product is not found to be a registered Chinese or western drug in Hong Kong. Investigation is still ongoing, especially regarding whether the patient's clinical condition on admission could be explained by the tainting. Meanwhile, the patient was discharged uneventfully on December 21," the spokesman remarks.

The spokesman further elaborates that "Besides phenformin, the product also contains three other western drugs, two of which, namely glimepiride and rosiglitazone, are used for the management of diabetes. Known side effects include nausea and gastro-intestinal upset with glimepiride, and headache, dizziness,and lower limb oedema with rosiglitazone. Furthermore, rosiglitazone should not be used in those with history of heart failure. For phenformin, because of its possible fatal effect of lactic acidosis, it has already been banned in Hong Kong since 1985. The third one detected is hydrochlorothiazide, a western drug used for the management of hypertension. Its side effects include hypotension, electrolyte imbalance and gastro-intestinal upset. All the three western drugs are prescription items, meaning that they should be used under medical supervision."

"Patients with chronic medical illness like diabetes require holistic long term management and ought to consult healthcare professionals for appropriate advice. They are strongly urged not to self-medicate or use over-the-counter medication without professional supervision. The consequence can be dreaded. Besides, as the festive season is approaching, opportunity is also taken to remind members of the public not to use products of unknown or doubtful compositions whilst travelling outside Hong Kong. Instead, they should consult healthcare professionals whenever they feel unwell or are in doubt after having taken suspicious products," the spokesman warns.

"People who have taken the above product should consult their healthcare providers as soon as possible because the product may cause life-threatening hypoglycemia and lactic acidosis. Besides, the tainted product which is still in public's possession ought to be submitted to the Chinese Medicine Division of DH at 16/F, Two Landmark East, 100 How Ming Street, Kwun Tong for disposal," the spokesman stresses.

The Department of Health (DH) today (December 23) appealed to members of the public not to consume an oral product as it has been found to contain at least four undeclared Western drugs, one of which is a banned item in Hong Kong.

23 December 2011