Department of Health Raids Drugstores Selling Unregistered Medicines

In efforts to combat the illegal sale or possession of unregistered medicines, Hong Kong's Department of Health (DH) conducted raids on medicine shops in different districts on Feb. 21 and 22.

Authorities were able to seize two unregistered medicines during the operation, namely Yiling Lianhua Qingwen Jiaonang and Lotus Qingwen capsules.

No related adverse reports have been received thus far, a DH spokesman said via a government press release on Tuesday.

"All registered proprietary Chinese medicines (pCm) should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the label in the format of 'HKC-XXXXX' or 'HKP-XXXXX,'" the spokesman said. "All registered pharmaceutical products should also carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of 'HK-XXXXX.'"

Hong Kong's Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549) stipulates that no person shall sell, import, or possess any pCm unless registered. Meanwhile, under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138), all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold.

The illegal sale or possession of unregistered medicines are criminal offences, with each offence carrying a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment and a fine of HK$100,000.