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The Department of Health today (August 29) appealed to members of the public not to buy or use three brands of slimming products named "Carbohydrate Cut", "Fat Killer" and "Sugar-Carbohydrate Cut" and a virility product labeled as "Zhuang Yao Gu Shen Capsule" as they were found to have contained undeclared drug ingredients that may cause serious side effect.
A spokesman for the department noted that the samples were obtained during strengthened market surveillance recently.
Laboratory tests on "Carbohydrate Cut", "Fat Killer" and "Sugar-Carbohydrate Cut" showed the presence of drug ingredient sibutramine and its analogues while "Zhuang Yao Gu Shen Capsule" was found to contain sildenafil.
The spokesman said sibutramine is a western drug ingredient used as appetite suppressant for slimming under close medical supervision. The side effects of sibutramine include increased blood pressure and heart rate, symptoms of psychosis, and possibly convulsion. People with heart problems should not take it.
Sildenafil is used for treating erectile dysfunction. Its side effects include low blood pressure, headache, vomiting, dizziness, and transient vision disturbances. It may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and may lower blood pressure of patients to dangerous levels.
Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, products containing sibutramine and sildenafil must be registered before sale and can only be sold on a doctor's prescription and under supervision of a pharmacist.
The department immediately conducted operations this afternoon, resulting in the seizure of three bottles of "Fat Killer" from retailers and 325 bottles of "Zhuang Yao Gu Shen Capsule" from distributor. Distributors were ordered to recall the products from the market.
Members of the public who have bought the products are advised not to take them. They are urged to seek advice from their doctors if feeling unwell after consuming the product.
They should destroy and dispose of the products or submit them to the department's Pharmaceutical Service at 3/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon during office hours.
The spokesman urged people who wanted to reduce weight or had a problem of sexual dysfunction to consult healthcare professionals for appropriate advice if necessary.
Reprinted from HKSAR Government web page:
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200808/29/P200808290223.htm