*********************************************************
Today (November 12), the Department of Health (DH) alerts clients of a registered Chinese medicine practitioner (CMP), Sin Lai-sang (Chinese name) that if they have been supplied with a topical application for management of skin conditions, especially eczema, they should either contact the practitioner or consult other healthcare workers for advice because the preparation is likely to contain an undeclared steroid, dexamethasone. Sin will assist DH with contact tracing and medical surveillance.
The contamination first came to light in June, when DH investigated into a Hospital Authority (HA) referral of drug-induced Cushing Syndrome in a three-year-old boy who had history of using a suspicious topical cream supplied by the above named CMP. Government Laboratory (GL) detected the steroid, dexamethasone in the patient's sample.
As illegal practice of western medicine was suspected besides the possession of unregistered drug and Part 1 poison, the matter was also referred to the Police for their necessary action.
Subsequently, a joint raid of the practitioner's clinic was mounted on August 2, with the CMP arrested and 166 bottles of the suspected topical cream seized. Follow-up investigation is still underway.
"The practitioner admits that the cream is prepared by himself, but without the knowledge that there is steroid in the formulation," a DH spokesman reveals.
Meanwhile, DH has received three other similar complaints, one as an incidental finding from the HA again when it managed a 14 year-old boy and two others from members of the public who suspected that their children had been prescribed with a steroid-containing drug by the above CMP. GL confirmed the finding of dexamethasone in samples from two cases. Police and DH joint investigation is continuing.
"High dose of dexamethasone is notoriously known for causing Cushing Syndrome, with patients having moon face, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, muscle atrophy, peptic ulcer and even osteoporosis," the spokesman remarks.
"Thus, customers who have used the described cream are advised to seek advice from healthcare professionals," the spokesman stresses.
"Pending further necessary investigation work, Police and DH will seek advice from the Department of Justice regarding possible contravention of illegal practice of western medicine and possession of unregistered drug and Part 1 poison respectively. The maximum penalties are $200,000 and imprisonment for 7 years; and $100,000 and imprisonment for 2 years respectively," the spokesman ends.
Ends/Saturday, November 12, 2011
Issued at HKT 21:02
NNNN
