Taichung clinics face lawsuit over toxic prescriptions
Staff writer, with CNA
A group of 30 patients yesterday filed a class-action lawsuit against two traditional Chinese medicine clinics and a supplier in Taichung over toxic prescriptions that led to lead poisoning.
The group is seeking more than NT$1.27 billion (US$44.6 million) in compensation from Sheng Tang Chinese Medicine Clinic (盛唐中醫), Jiu Fu Chinese Medicine Clinic (九福中醫) and their supplier Hsin Lung Medicine Co (欣隆藥業), said the Consumers’ Foundation, which is helping the claimants with the lawsuit.
Twenty of the patients, ranging in age from five to 85 years old, received toxic prescriptions from Sheng Tang and 10 from Jiu Fu, the foundation said.
Colored face masks to be inspected for harmful substances
01/03/2021 11:01 PM
CNA file photo
Taipei, Jan. 3 (CNA) Taiwan s Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection will begin random inspections of colored face masks on Monday to check if the products contain toxic substances, such as some regulated azo dye components.
The bureau under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is planning to purchase 70 regular face masks from physical stores and online shops for the safety check, Lai Chun-chieh (賴俊杰), chief of the bureau s inspection section, said on Sunday.
The inspections will also determine whether the amount of formaldehyde exceeds the legal limit, he said, adding that the results of the inspection will be available in two weeks at the soonest.
Carry Hi-tech, owner charged with mislabeling masks
Staff writer, with CNA
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on Tuesday indicted a company and its owner for allegedly importing millions of nonmedical-grade masks from China and selling them through the government rationing program as “Made in Taiwan,” taking in NT$34.07 million (US$1.2 million) in illegal gains.
New Taipei City-based Carry Hi-tech and owner Lin Ming-chin (林明進) were indicted for alleged breaches of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (藥事法), for mislabeling a product’s country of origin as stipulated in Article 255 of the Criminal Code and for fraud as stipulated in Article 339 of the code.
Another of Lin’s companies was indicted for allegedly producing medical-grade masks for children without government approval, a breach of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, prosecutors said.
Manufacturer selling Chinese masks branded as Taiwanese indicted
12/15/2020 05:38 PM
CNA file photo
Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) Prosecutors on Tuesday indicted the owner of a New Taipei-based face mask factory and his company for importing millions of non-medical grade Chinese face masks and selling them through the government rationing program as Taiwanese manufactured, for which he gained an illicit profit of NT$34.07 million (US$1.19 million).
Lin Ming-chin (林明進) and his Carry Mask were indicted by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office for alleged violations of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act; Article 255 of the Criminal Code, for obfuscating the origin of a product s country of origin; as well as offenses of fraud as stipulated in Article 339 of the Criminal Code.