The appeal followed investigations by the department into a report concerning a 21-year-old woman who was admitted to Caritas Medical Centre in July for loss of consciousness.
She was found to have a history of taking the concerned product supplied by a slimming centre called Perfectshape (Holdings) Ltd in Tuen Mun.
A DH spokesman said a remnant of the product was taken for laboratory test by the Hospital Authority and found to contain sibutramine, a Western medicine commonly used for slimming.
He said the test result on the product was an incidental finding. The patient's symptom was not believed to be related to the product and she has been discharged.
Department officials visited the slimming centre this afternoon and ordered the centre to recall and stop selling the product. Investigation is on-going.
The spokesman said sibutramine may cause increases in blood pressure and pulse rate. Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, it must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board and can only be sold on a doctor's prescription and under the supervision of a pharmacist. Possession or sale of an unregistered pharmaceutical product is liable on conviction to a $100,000 fine and two years' imprisonment.
Members of the public who have used the product are urged to stop taking it immediately and seek advice from healthcare professionals if they feel unwell.
They should submit the product to the department's Pharmaceutical Service at 3/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon, during office hours, or destroy it before disposal.
They can also return it to branches of the slimming centre and call the centre's telephone hotline 2359 3882 concerning the recall.
The spokesman reiterated that a balanced diet and exercise are crucial factors in keeping fit and healthy. Members of the public who want to lose weight are advised to consult healthcare professionals first.
Reprinted from HKSAR Government web page:
http://www.consumer.org.hk/website/ws_en/consumer_alerts/recalls_and_alerts/2008083001.html