The Department of Health yesterday disclosed a fourth blunder in two weeks involving medicines.
Pharmacists said the government had lost control over Hong Kong's drug industry. A leading doctor said it was incompetent.
The latest incident involves 2 million imported antidepressants illegally packaged for sale to pharmacies, doctors and hospitals.
The department said there was no indication the pills were unsafe.
Four hours after the department revealed the problem - which involves amitriptyline pills sold by Unipharm Trading - Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok announced the setting up of a high-level committee to review drug safety and industry conduct.
Dr Chow said he was 'extremely concerned' about the repeated incidents involving drug supplies.