DH raids retail shop for suspected illegal sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products (with photo)
******************************************************************************************
Acting upon a public complaint, it was found that the above shop was offering for sale five topical solutions labelled as containing the Part 1 poison tretinoin. They are:
- RDL HYDROQUINONE TRETINOIN Babyface Solution 2;
- RDL HYDROQUINONE TRETINOIN Babyface Solution 3;
- maxi-peel tretinoin hydroquinone EXFOLIANT SOLUTION 1;
- maxi-peel tretinoin hydroquinone EXFOLIANT SOLUTION 2; and
- maxi-peel tretinoin hydroquinone EXFOLIANT SOLUTION 3.
Products containing tretinoin are prescription medicines which should only be used under doctor's advice or supplied at pharmacies under the supervision of a registered pharmacist upon a doctor's prescription.
The DH's investigation is ongoing.
"Tretinoin is used topically for the treatment of acne. Its side-effects include erythema, dryness, peeling and photosensitivity. Sensitive individuals may experience oedema, blistering and crusting of the skin," a spokesman for the DH said.
According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap 138), all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be supplied in Hong Kong. Illegal sale and possession of Part 1 poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.
The DH urged members of the public not to use controlled medicines on their own without advice from a doctor. They should not buy or use pharmaceutical products that are not registered. All registered pharmaceutical products carry a Hong Kong registration number on the label in the format of "HK-XXXXX". Safety, quality and efficacy of unregistered pharmaceutical products are not guaranteed.
People who have purchased the above products should stop using them and consult healthcare professionals if they are in doubt or feeling unwell after use. They can submit the products to the DH's Drug Office at Room 1856, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, during office hours for disposal.
Ends/Monday, July 10, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:40
Issued at HKT 15:40
NNNN
Photo
