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The Health Department has launched an investigation into a suspected case of syrup medicine containing alcohol prescribed by a private doctor in Tuen Mun.

Yeung Siu-man,  who runs a clinic at a shopping mall at Richland Garden,  had  been prescribing a  clear syrup called Terbutaline  for shortness of breath to six patients since March 21.

Dr Yeung was quoted on various television news reports yesterday as saying only one of the six patients felt sick after taking the medicine.

'We need to look into the incident and wait for the Health Department to get back to us and find out what went wrong,' he said.

One patient was apparently  a three-year-old girl.  She developed symptoms of throat irritation after taking the syrup.

Dr Yeung prescribed the syrup to the girl on  Friday, and she sought medical consultation at Tuen Mun Hospital on the same day.

She was discharged after receiving treatment.

A test conducted by the toxicology reference laboratory at Princess Margaret Hospital on  Saturday found  isopropyl alcohol  in the syrup.

The department said it had contacted other patients, and none of them reported feeling sick after taking the medicine. It seized 17 bottles of syrup  from the clinic for further tests by the Government Laboratory.

The clinic was closed yesterday, and clinic officials posted a notice saying only that they needed to handle paperwork.

Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok  said he was very concerned about the medicine blunder.

'Some doctors buy medicine in large amounts and do the mixing themselves, or they buy drugs which are prepared by pharmacies,' Mr Chow said  at a function about family harmony at Po On Road playground in Sham Shui Po.

'The most important thing is that doctors have clear guidelines to follow.'

Legislator Kwok Ka-ki,  who represents the medical sector, said it was an unfortunate incident, but he urged members of the public not to worry, as it was an isolated case.

'Guidelines already have been issued to instruct doctors on mixing medicine. More promotion needs to be done  of the guidelines,' he said.

The department hotline, 2125 1133, received five calls from people  by noon yesterday.

None of them  were from people to whom Dr Yeung prescribed the syrup.



Probe at clinic over prescription of syrup medicine containing alcohol