IV drips in Hong Kong, safety and who may give them

In Hong Kong the Department of Health says any injection should be performed only by a locally registered doctor, and in September 2025 it instructed a provider in Central to stop giving infusions after two suspected cases of septic shock. Before any drip, see a doctor, check the doctor's name on the Medical Council's register and ask what is in the bag.

3 min readWritten and reviewed by the clinical team at The Wellness.Last reviewed 14 October 2026.

What happened in September 2025

On 18 September 2025 the Department of Health announced that two women aged 57 had developed septic shock after intravenous infusions at a premises in Central, said to contain nicotinamide mononucleotide, known as NMN [1]. Both were admitted to hospital, and three people suspected of practising medicine illegally were arrested [1].

The next day the department instructed the person in charge to stop providing such high-risk medical services at once and to contact everyone who had recently had an infusion there [2]. It said that NMN made for injection is a pharmaceutical product that must be registered before it can be sold in Hong Kong, and that it is a prescription drug to be used under a doctor's directions [2]. Illegal sale or possession of an unregistered pharmaceutical product carries a maximum penalty of a fine of HK$100,000 and two years in prison for each offence [2]. The department added that no other serious cases linked to infusions had been reported to it [2].

Who may give a drip

The Department of Health says any injection procedure should be performed only by a locally registered doctor, and it repeated that advice in both of its statements on these infusions [1] [2]. A government working group report endorsed in November 2013 recommended that procedures involving injections be done only by registered doctors or dentists, because of their inherent risks [1].

The Medical Council's Code of Professional Conduct allows a doctor to employ nurses and others trained for a task, as long as the doctor supervises them personally and keeps responsibility for the patient [3]. A doctor who lets an unregistered person treat patients as though that person were a doctor can face disciplinary proceedings [3].

Under the Medical Registration Ordinance, a person who is not registered and gives medical treatment that injures someone commits an offence. On summary conviction the penalty is a fine of HK$200,000 and three years in prison [1].

How to check before you have a drip

The Department of Health gives this advice to anyone about to have an injection [2].

Ask for the doctor's full name in writing, and check it on the Medical Council's list of registered doctors.
Have a consultation first, so you understand what is in the drip, its risks and its possible complications.
Refuse an injection from an unidentified source, because its quality and effect cannot be guaranteed.
Do not have an injection you are allergic to, or one into skin that is infected or inflamed.
See a doctor at once if you develop a fever or feel unwell afterwards.

What the evidence says

A drip is a medical treatment for people who cannot take in enough fluid or nutrients by mouth, and the evidence for vitamin drips in other people is thin. A placebo controlled trial of the vitamin drip known as the Myers' cocktail gave 34 adults with fibromyalgia weekly infusions of either the vitamins or a salt solution for 8 weeks [4]. Both groups improved, and the study found no significant difference between the vitamins and the placebo [4].

A registered doctor is the first safeguard, and the product is the second. In October 2012 three women developed septic shock after infusions at a beauty centre in Causeway Bay, and the department found that the treatment had been given by a registered doctor [5] [6]. It traced 44 people who had received the same treatment there [6]. Ask where the product comes from and whether it is registered in Hong Kong.

What a drip costs, and what to ask

Prices rise with what is in the bag. REVIV in Central lists four drips from about HK$1,000 to about HK$2,600 and says its clinic is led by a medical director [7]. Drip Hydration lists its All-Inclusive drip at HK$5,280 and says every treatment at its centre needs an in-person consultation and assessment by its on-site registered doctor first [8].

That consultation is the step to ask any provider about. A drip at home or in a hotel takes the treatment away from a clinic's equipment and staff, so ask who will come, whether a doctor has assessed you, and what happens if you react to the infusion.

Appointments in Hong Kong

Anyone can request an appointment in Hong Kong now.

Questions

Is IV drip therapy legal in Hong Kong?

The Department of Health says any injection procedure should be performed only by a locally registered doctor, and it repeated this after the infusion cases of September 2025. A person who is not registered and gives treatment that injures someone commits an offence under the Medical Registration Ordinance.

Is an NMN drip allowed in Hong Kong?

NMN made for injection is a pharmaceutical product in Hong Kong, so it must be registered before it can be sold, and it is a prescription drug. In September 2025 two women developed septic shock after infusions said to contain NMN.

How do I check that a doctor in Hong Kong is registered?

Ask for the doctor's full name in writing and look it up on the list of registered doctors published by the Medical Council of Hong Kong. The Department of Health also advises asking about the doctor's qualifications and credentials before any injection.

How much does an IV drip cost in Hong Kong?

Published prices run from about HK$1,000 at REVIV in Central to HK$5,280 for the All-Inclusive drip at Drip Hydration. Ask whether a doctor's consultation is included in the price before you book.