HONG KONG - The Office of the Ombudsman in Hong Kong on Thursday said it was investigating the government's mechanism for monitoring vaccines from private healthcare facilities in the city.

In a statement released on Thursday morning, Ombudsman Winnie Chiu Wai-yin announced the investigation after health and customs officers uncovered counterfeit nine-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines provided by medical centers last year

In a statement released on Thursday morning, Ombudsman Winnie Chiu Wai-yin announced the investigation after health and customs officers uncovered counterfeit nine-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines provided by medical centers last year.

"Vaccines are pharmaceutical products administered directly into the human body, so it is essential to ensure their quality and safety. To prevent substandard or even counterfeit vaccine products from circulating in the market and posing a threat to public health, the government must properly play the role of gatekeeper,” Chiu was quoted as saying in the statement. 

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“Through this direct investigation, I hope to explore ways for further improving the current monitoring mechanism and enhance public awareness of the government's monitoring efforts," she added. 

Officials from the Department of Health and the Customs and Excise Department uncovered the fake HPV vaccines during joint operations in July 2019. 

An analysis of samples of the confiscated products showed that they had no active ingredients of an HPV vaccine, but only sodium and chloride, which are commonly found in a saline solution. 

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The analysis also revealed that the samples might have been contaminated by microbes that could pose health risks. At the same time, the Office of the Ombudsman received complaints about counterfeit nine-valent HPV vaccines and took note of wide media coverage of the incident.

 The Ombudsman said its preliminary inquiry revealed that the demand for nine-valent HPV vaccine far exceeded its limited supply, prompting unscrupulous dealers to provide private healthcare facilities with counterfeit products in 2019. 

The authorities took follow-up action under the established mechanism and stepped up monitoring measures. 

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The Ombudsman said its investigation aims to evaluate whether the current monitoring mechanism is effective and to identify any room for improvement.