Press Release

DH's special arrangement on infant formulae with low iodine content

12 August 2012

A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said today (August 12) that 99 infants aged one to eight months who are taking the infant milk formulae with low iodine content had their blood samples taken for a thyroid function test at the 10 designated Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) as at 4pm.

So far, the test results of 98 blood samples were available, of which 97 were normal. One test result revealed that the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level was slightly below the reference range.

The spokesman stressed that according to specialists of the Hospital Authority (HA), this result is not due to iodine deficiency. Nonetheless, the infant concerned will be referred to the HA paediatric specialist clinic for follow-up.

DH has been informing the parents of the blood result.

Up to 4pm today, the DH hotline (2125 1111), operating from 9am to 9pm daily, had received 3,893 enquiries from members of the public.

One hundred and fifty three callers said that their infants are mainly consuming the infant formulae concerned. They have been advised to change to another brand of cow milk-based formula with adequate iodine content.

Updated information will be uploaded to the DH's website (www.dh.gov.hk) for public reference.