Anita Chan sleeping-pill dosages 'over limit'

The number of sleeping pills that a radiologist told the late philanthropist Anita Chan Lai-ling she could take was well over the maximum daily dosages, Eastern Court heard yesterday.

Yau yat-yin, who is charged with supplying dangerous drugs, admitted telling Chan that she could take up to three Dormicum tablets and four Halcion tablets on the same night.

Each Dormicum pill comes in either a 7.5mg or 15mg tablet, while a Halcion tablet is usually 0.25mg, the court previously heard.

Chinese University professor Tang Wai-kwong told the court earlier that the maximum dosages of Dormicum and Halcion are 15mg and 0.25mg, respectively, quoting figures from the - a pharmaceutical book that contains information and advice on prescribing medicines.

Yau said she prescribed Dormicum for Chan when she experienced problems sleeping in 2006.

She said Chan wanted to wake up during the night to monitor stock markets in the US and London, and Yau advised her to use Halcion to go back to sleep again. "Because she already used two tablets, I didn't want her to use Dormicum any more," Yau said.