Press Release

Recall of proprietary Chinese medicine with exceeding heavy metal limit

9 Nov 2009

The Department of Health (DH) today (November 9) urged members of the public not to buy or use a proprietary Chinese medicine (pCm) named "XUE FU ZHU YU TANG" as it was found to have exceeded heavy metal limit.

The product, with batch number: P040604, was manufactured in Taiwan and imported by Jin Ja Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a local pCM wholesaler.

The appeal was made in view of the detection of exceeding maximum permitted level of lead in "XUE FU ZHU YU TANG" during DH's surveillance exercise.

A spokesman for the department said chronic exposure to lead may lead to anaemia, joint and muscle pain, brain and kidney damage.

DH inspected the wholesaler this afternoon and instructed the wholesaler to recall the product from the market.

Jin Ja Pharmaceutical Company Limited has set up a hotline 2332 5253 to answer public enquiries about recall arrangement.

Members of the public can also contact DH's hotline 2319 8600 during office hours.

The spokesman urged members of the public who have used the product to stop taking them immediately and seek advice from healthcare professionals if they feel unwell.

Chinese medicine practitioners who have obtained the product from the wholesaler are advised to withhold the prescription and inform their patients accordingly.

They should submit the product to the wholesaler or DH's Chinese Medicines Section on the second floor, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon during office hours.