The Hospital Authority on Sunday said two types of medication which have recently been imported from the mainland were brought in and used in compliance with local laws.

It expressed deep regret over what it called misleading media reports that alleged the authority had imported and used unauthorised medication.

In a statement, it said there was a serious shortage of paracetamol during the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, and there has been a spike in recent demand for cefoxitin sodium injection, which is mostly used to treat bacterial infections.

It says the painkiller was purchased by the SAR government from the mainland through approved channels, while the injection was imported with relevant certificates from the Department of Health.

The authority said it cannot make public the amount it purchased nor the sum of money involved, adding if they did reveal such details, it may affect future medicine procurement arrangements.