Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau today welcomed the completion of the evaluation and approval procedures for all proprietary Chinese medicines (pCms) with transitional registration by the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (CMCHK).
The CMCHK announced today that the evaluation and approval process for converting the transitional registrations of pCm to formal registrations has been completed.
The Department of Health explained that the transitional registration system for pCm will conclude on June 30 and by then, all pCms sold in Hong Kong must have valid formal registrations.
Prof Lo noted that this marks an important milestone for the regulation of Chinese medicine (CM) in Hong Kong, ensuring the public’s access to quality and safe pCms, while also supporting Hong Kong’s development as a bridgehead for the internationalisation of CM.
He pointed out that Hong Kong-registered pCms will become a key component in CM development as well as health and medical innovation.
“With Hong Kong’s robust regulatory system for pCms, its brand effect can attract more high-quality pCms from the Mainland and overseas to register in the city, thereby assisting the industry in further expanding into global markets and accelerating the internationalisation of CM.”
To assist holders of transitionally registered pCms in obtaining formal registration as early as possible, the Health Bureau has previously provided funding to the industry through the Chinese Medicine Development Fund.
Under the Proprietary Chinese Medicine Registration Support Scheme, subsidies were granted to holders of transitionally registered pCms to engage professional consultants for advice on formal registration matters and to conduct necessary laboratory tests.
Moving forward, the Government said it will continue to collaborate with the CM industry to jointly promote the innovation and development of CM.
In addition, the Health Bureau will release the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint by the end of this year, which will include more strategies to comprehensively enhance the development of CM in Hong Kong.
