Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan’s (連戰) eldest daughter, Lien Hui-hsin (連惠心), yesterday denied being a stockholder in Geneherbs, a nutrition supplement company, after its weight-loss products were found to contain unauthorized drugs.
Taipei City’s Department of Health tested the ingredients of the pill — Wellslim Plus+ — and confirmed that it contains cetilistat, a lipase inhibitor that is designed to treat obesity. The drug is still undergoing clinical trials and the Ministry of Health and Welfare has not approved the drug for use in Taiwan.
Lien Hui-shin, who has been advertising the pills since they came out in 2008, denied connections with the company amid the scandal.
Her lawyer, Fang Wen-shuan (方文萱), said she did not take any position in the company, and had only agreed to promote the company without remuneration, rather than serving as a product spokesperson.
She agreed to promote the firm until the end of the year, and will end this voluntary role immediately if the pills are proven to contain unauthorized drugs, Fang said.
“Ms Lien will also seek compensation from the manufacturer and will not avoid her own responsibility for promoting the company,” the lawyer said.
Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City Councilor Juan Chao-hsiung (阮昭雄), who had questioned the legality of the pills earlier this month, yesterday accused Lien Hui-hsin and the company of disregarding people’s health to seek profits. He urged the city government to hold them responsible.
“Cetilistat is not an authorized drug, and it is hard to detect using regular tests. The company and Lien Hui-hsin should take both legal and social responsibilities for damaging users’ health purposely,” he said.
Shen Mei-li (沈美俐), deputy director of the department’s food and drug division, said the company has violated the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (藥事法) by using cetilistat in its products.
Manufacturing or importing illegal drugs can result in a 10-year jail sentence or a fine of up to NT$10 million (US$340,000), while selling unauthorized drugs can result in a seven-year sentence or a fine of up to NT$5 million.
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