Harming health: Consumers should avoid Beijing Jiannan Zhongyi Hospital Zhongyao Pei Fang Ke Li, which contains drug ingredients that can cause serious side-effects.

The Department of Health urges consumers to avoid Chinese herbal pill Beijing Jiannan Zhongyi Hospital Zhongyao Pei Fang Ke Li, as the product contains drug ingredients that might cause serious side-effects.

The product was discovered through a 40-year-old man who was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital with acute hepatitis in July. He had bought the medicine on the Mainland and had been taking it for gouty arthritis, a disease caused by excessive urates accumulated in the bloodstream and joints. He has recovered and has been discharged from hospital. His acute hepatitis was unrelated to the product.

Tests on the drug found five ingredients commonly used in painkillers - phenacetin, aminopyrine, ibuprofen, diclofenac and indomethacin - which can cause gastrointestinal disturbances or blood-related diseases. Phenacetin and aminopyrine were banned in Hong Kong 20 years ago due to their serious side-effects, like haemolytic anaemia and agranulocytosis.

The medicine is unregistered locally with no import record. Those who have obtained the product should stop using it and seek medical advice if feeling unwell.