The Department of Health (DH) has shut down the operations of a woman suspected of selling anti-obesity and heart medicines illegally, and warned residents not to buy drugs unregistered in Hong Kong and which are Part 1 poisons under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.
The DH carried out a raid with the Police today in Tin Shui
Wai district, arresting a 43-year-old woman after purchasing, via an instant messaging
application, controlled medicines which included a box of injections labelled as containing tirzepatide, and 10 tablets labelled as
containing frusemide.
Tirzepatide is used for the treatment of obesity, and its
side effects include hair loss, nausea and diarrhea. Frusemide is used for the
treatment of heart diseases, and its side effects include low blood pressure
and electrolyte imbalance.
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Medicines containing tirzepatide and frusemide should be
used under a doctor's direction and must be supplied on the premises of a licensed
pharmacy.
“Purchasing controlled medicines (including slimming drugs)
online poses health risks,” the DH said. “Besides the lack of a doctor's
assessment of an individual's health condition, it is difficult to ascertain
the legitimate source of the drugs. It is also impossible to know whether the
drugs were properly stored during transportation (especially for drugs
requiring cold-chain storage). This leaves their safety, quality and efficacy unguaranteed.”
The DH also reminds the public that selling medicines
controlled under the PPO illegally, regardless of the sales channel (including
online sales platforms, instant messaging applications or social media),
carries criminal liability. The maximum penalty for each offense is a fine of
$100,000 and two years' imprisonment.
According to the PPO, all pharmaceutical products must be
registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be
legally sold in the market. Additionally, pharmaceutical products containing
Part 1 poisons can only be sold at the registered premises of a pharmacy under
the supervision of a registered pharmacist.
The DH reminds the public that all registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of "HK-XXXXX".
