Recall of proprietary Chinese medicines with failed microbial limit
22 February 2013
The Department of Health (DH) today (February 22) instructed the registration holder of a proprietary Chinese medicines (pCm), namely 【Naturherbao】Herbal Tea (registration no.: HKP-14234), Wing Yeung Tong Medicine Manufactory (Wing Yeung Tong), to recall from consumers a batch of 【Naturherbao】Herbal Tea (batch no.: GMT1301), as its microbial limit exceeded the registration criteria set out by the Chinese Medicines Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong.
The recall follows DH’s market surveillance which revealed that the aforementioned batch of pCm was found to have a total bacterial count of 26,000 per gram, which was about 2.6 times of the registration criteria.
“Preliminary investigation showed that the pCm was manufactured by Wing Yeung Tong. The investigation also revealed that 【Naturherbao】Herbal Tea shared the same formula with 4 other pCms, namely Bio-Herb Health Tea (registration no.: HKP-14230), 【Natural】Bio-Herb Herbal Tea (registration no.: HKP-14231), 【Fung】Bio-Herb Flu-tea (registration no.: HKP-14232) and 【Fung】Bio-Herb Cold Remedy (registration no.: HKP-14233), and all were also manufactured by Wing Yeung Tong. As a precautionary measure, Wing Yeung Tong has also voluntarily recalled all batches of the above-mentioned pCms from consumers. The manufacturer has set up a telephone hotline (2456 3380) to answer public enquiries, “a DH spokesman explained.
According to the products labels, all the products are used for treating cough and cold. Investigation is on-going. So far, no adverse reports related to use of the pCm have been received by DH.
“Members of the public who have used this pCm and are feeling unwell should seek advice from their health-care professionals. They should stop using them and surrender the pCms in hand to DH’s office at 16/F, AIA Kolwoon Tower, Landmark East, 100 How Ming Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon,” the spokesman urged.
The Department of Health today (February 22) instructed the registration holder of a proprietary Chinese medicines (pCm), namely 【Naturherbao】Herbal Tea (registration no.: HKP-14234), Wing Yeung Tong Medicine Manufactory, to recall from consumers a batch of 【Naturherbao】Herbal Tea (batch no.: GMT1301), as its microbial limit exceeded the registration criteria set out by the Chinese Medicines Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong.