Regulatory System of Proprietary Chinese Medicine in Hong Kong

Abstract

Traditional medicine has been used by a significant percentage of the population not only in the Western Pacific Region but also in a lot of Asian countries [1]. A review article published earlier in Hong Kong revealed that an estimation of about 60% of the local population has experience of consulting traditional medicine practitioner or using Chinese medicinal products [2]. The increasing use of traditional medicine implies that the demand for a well-established regulatory policy becomes imminence. In Hong Kong, the Legislative Council has passed the Chinese Medicine Ordinance in 1999 with aims to regulate the practice, use, trading and manufacture of Chinese medicine [3]. A list of the first batch of registered Chinese medicine practitioners was published in the Gazette on November 2002 [3]. A project entitled Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards that focuses on safety and quality standards for Chinese medicinal materials was launched in the same year and being developed. Two local universities have been invited for participation in the first phase of this project [4]. Licensing of Chinese medicines traders has been implemented in 2003 and registration of proprietary Chinese medicines has also been introduced recently. According to the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, all proprietary Chinese medicines in Hong Kong should subject for initial registration before 30 June 2004. All those required documentations and test reports should arrive the Chinese Medicines Board within the transition period. No person shall sell, import or possess any proprietary Chinese medicines in Hong Kong unless it is registered.

Submitted: April 29, 2004 · Accepted: May 27, 2004 · Published: June 10, 2004

Recommended Citation

Leung, Kelvin Sze-Yin and Chan, Kelvin (2004) "Regulatory System of Proprietary Chinese Medicine in Hong Kong," Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1, Article 001.
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/jcim/vol1/iss1/001