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Susan Schwartz

A 15-year-old Hong Kong girl has been admitted to hospital after taking a slimming pill sold on the mainland which contains a drug linked to heart disease.

The girl was taken to hospital last week complaining of dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and chest discomfort after taking the product for six months. She is now in a stable condition.

The product - Seven Days Seven Fairy Maidens Forever-Youth Immunity Capsules - contains fenfluramine, a medicine which Hong Kong banned in 1998 because of its association with heart disease.

Cindy Lai, assistant director of the Department of Health, said the teenager had purchased the product from a Shenzhen shop.

She said the pills had previously been brought into Hong Kong illegally and sold for a short period by a company with connections to the product's Shenzhen wholesaler.

However, the department's pharmaceutical service staff recently inspected local dispensaries and medicine companies and found no trace of the product.

Dr Lai appealed to any members of the public using the pills to stop immediately and consult their doctor for a medical examination.

'Those who have been taking the product and have developed symptoms suggesting impaired heart function like shortness of breath should see a doctor as soon as possible,' she said.

Anyone who has been taking the pills can call the department's hotline on 2961 8968.

Dr Lai said a balanced diet and adequate physical exercise were the most important ingredients for a fit and healthy life. She advised anyone who needed to lose weight to consult their doctor.

The department has notified all Hong Kong doctors about the incident.

Chinese-made diet pills and non-medical diet supplements were this month connected to four deaths and 468 cases of illness in Japan, and to one death in Singapore. Both countries have banned the sale of the products after finding pills including Yuzhitang Health Products' Jianfeijiaonang and Xiazhisa were labelled as herbal remedies. However, they were found to contain anorectic fenfluramine, which has been associated with high blood pressure and liver failure, and ephedra, which has been linked to heart attacks.



Teenage girl falls ill after taking diet pills