Mould scare prompts removal of indigestion drug Enzyplex from Hong Kong’s public hospitals and shops
Hospital Authority says mould found in Indonesian-made drug would not hurt healthy people but could pose a risk of infection to people with compromised immune systems
A drug used for digestive disorders was removed from shop shelves in Hong Kong on Friday after tests on several tablets found they were contaminated with mould.
The city’s public hospitals and clinics also stopped dispensing Enzyplex, an over-the-counter drug made in Indonesia, with the Hospital Authority saying that about 4,000 of its patients had been prescribed the medication.
It added that while the Monascus mould found on the tablets would not harm healthy people, there was “a possible risk of infection” among people with weakened immune systems.
Unam Corporation, the drug’s supplier in Hong Kong, asked retailers, hospitals and clinics to immediately stop distributing or selling the drug until more tests were done.
It said consumers who had bought the drug could return the product if it had not yet expired.
“Our company is working with the Department of Health during the investigation and is in close contact with the manufacturer,” the company said in a statement. “The manufacturer has also submitted its manufacturing records to the department.”
According to the health department, the manufacturer Medifarma Labs said materials used to make Enzyplex and the production facilities met its specifications. The manufacturer said it was continuing to investigate the matter and would issue a report soon.