Press Release

Caution on suspected counterfeit product containing undeclared western drug ingredient

22 Jun 2010

The Department of Health (DH) today (June 22) urged members of the public not to buy or take a batch of product called "Po Chai Pills" (Batch Number 21214), in which the Government Laboratory has detected an undeclared western medicine ingredient, diclofenac.

The problematic product was discovered through DH's routine market surveillance.

In Hong Kong, there is a registered proprietary Chinese medicine which bears the same name but is different from the problematic product in packaging and pill color.

Investigation revealed that the external packing of the product in question had no blue strips on two sides of the picture and the pills are darker brown in color.

The case has been reported to the Customs and Excise Department for follow-up actions as the product in question is suspected to be counterfeit product.

Diclofenac is a pain killer. Its side-effects are gastro-intestinal disturbances including gastric pain, nausea, vomiting, peptic ulcer and bleeding.

Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, products containing this drug ingredient can only be sold on a doctor's prescription and supervision by a pharmacist.

People who have purchased the products should immediately stop using it and seek medical advice if they feel unwell.

They are advised to dispose of the product or submit it to the Pharmaceutical Service of the department at 3/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon during office hours.