Public hospital drug resold on HKTVmall

Eunice Lam

Local e-commerce platform HKTVmall has temporarily banned a merchant suspected of selling laxatives that allegedly came from a public hospital pharmacy prescribed to a patient.

The company said it has removed Cura Health from its platform, adding it must provide proof of its source of the drug lactulose, which is used to treat constipation, or its contract will be terminated.

The website of the merchant was inaccessible yesterday.

The e-platform said a customer received her order of lactulose on May 29, 2023, and reported that it came with a public hospital label on July 9, 2023.

The issue became public when it came up on an online forum recently.

When the platform asked the merchant for information on the order after the report was made, the merchant said it had been deleted as the transaction had been over a month ago.

HKTVmall said it was very concerned about "medicines with public hospital labels" being sold on its platform, and is investigating further.

"We are seeking proof of [the product's] origin from the merchant, to ensure the product sold complies with regulatory requirements," it said.

"If a merchant is found to have violated the law, we will immediately remove [illegally sold] products from shelves and impose a fine on the merchant, and in serious cases we will terminate the relationship."

The HKTVmall customer said she was pregnant when she purchased a bottle of lactulose from the platform and found that the label said it had been prescribed to a patient at Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital in Lok Fu.

HKTVmall allows local merchants to create their online shop on its platform by paying an annual fee, while the delivery of their products will be handled by HKTVmall.

The Hospital Authority said it will "solemnly follow up" on the problem if the case involves illegal conduct and refer it to law enforcers.

So Yiu-wah, president of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong, said lactulose does not require a doctor's prescription, but the drug has to be sold by a registered pharmacist.

He said he was shocked as it was the first time he had heard that the medicine is sold on e-commerce platforms and, worse, sold with a public hospital patient's tag on it, which is illegal.

So said the medicine may have expired or been exposed to sunlight, which may affect its quality.

He said if people inadvertently purchase "second-hand" medicines online, they should not use the product and instead seek a refund.

Some patients with chronic illnesses receive a large stock of drugs from public hospitals that cover the period until their next appointment. And it is possible some of them sell the excess medication, So added.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com