Women referred to clinics over diet pills

Four women who took a slimming pill that is sold on the mainland and contains a drug linked to heart disease have been referred by the Health Department to the Hospital Authority's outpatient clinics for check-ups.

A department spokesman yesterday said the women were among 20 people - one male and 19 female, aged 22 to 41 - to phone in claiming they had taken the pills.

A total of 33 inquiries about the pills have been received since a 15-year-old Hong Kong girl was admitted to hospital last week complaining of dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and chest discomfort after taking the pills for six months.

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