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Vivian Au

Hong Kong authorities have launched an investigation after medication obtained from a public hospital was allegedly resold to a woman via online shopping platform HKTVmall.
The medicine was resold in May last year but the incident only came to the public’s attention on Monday because of a post on the city’s Reddit-like forum, LIHKG.
A woman, who said she was 38 weeks’ pregnant at the time, complained that she had received lactulose, a laxative that she had ordered on HKTVmall, with a patient’s name and other information indicating it was from Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital, according to a photo circulating online.
“I cannot imagine HKTVmall would allow such a situation to happen,” she said. “Lactulose is not a prescription drug and now I am even more doubtful about its source.”

A spokesman for the Hospital Authority said on Monday night that it was very concerned about the incident.
“The authority reminds residents that they should not resell or pass on drugs for the use of other. It will certainly follow up on the issue in a serious manner or pass it to law enforcement agencies if any illegal activities are found,” he said.
In a statement on Tuesday night, the authority gave further updates after tracing the source of the drug based on the online pictures.
“[The authority] believed that the drug was prescribed by a doctor upon the discharge of a patient who was admitted to Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital in 2023,” the spokesman said.
“The [authority] has contacted the patient concerned to follow up on the incident.”
The spokesman warned that anyone attempting to obtain drugs through improper means “may be breaking the law”.
“The public should not buy drugs from unknown sources,” he said. “Apart from the possibility of violating the law, the quality of the drugs is not guaranteed and may have adverse health effects.”
The authority also condemned any deliberate resale of patients’ drugs for profit.
HKTVmall confirmed the incident occurred in May 2023 and said it was investigating, stressing it would not allow merchants to engage in unlawful activities.
“We have suspended the corresponding online store, and have requested valid proof of supply from the merchant,” a spokesman said.
He added that HKTVmall would penalise merchants for violations or even terminate their contracts in serious cases.
“We have made inquiries to the merchant to request shipment details but the merchant claimed the relevant CCTV footage and shipment photos were removed and could not be provided as it took place more than one month ago,” the spokesman said, without naming the shop.
HKTVmall also said it had arranged a refund for the buyer, who returned the product.
So Yiu-wah, chairman of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong, said he had heard of similar incidents although they were through other platforms.
He added that while lactulose was not a prescription drug, it had to be sold in registered pharmacies.
“It is illegal to sell lactulose obtained from a public hospital,” he told a radio programme on Tuesday.
So said the penalty would be more severe if psychiatrist medications were sold.
He added that a merchant reselling drugs obtained from public hospitals would be in breach the law, and there was a chance the buyer might also be prosecuted.


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Health & Environment

Pregnant woman says she received a laxative that she ordered on HKTVmall with Buddhist Hospital patient’s name, information


Pregnant woman says she received a laxative that she ordered on HKTVmall with Buddhist Hospital patient’s name, information.


Hong Kong society

Hong Kong authorities launch probe after medication with patient’s name resold on HKTVmall

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Pregnant woman says she received a laxative that she ordered on HKTVmall with Buddhist Hospital patient’s name, information

Pregnant woman says she received a laxative that she ordered on HKTVmall with Buddhist Hospital patient’s name, information