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The Department of Health (DH) today (March 30) signed a contract with Taiwan's China Medical University (CMU) for sample collection and research on Chinese materia medica under Phase V of the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS) Project. The aim of the Project is to develop reference information for Chinese herbs commonly used in Hong Kong.
The contract was signed by Dr P Y Lam, Chairman of the International Advisory Board (IAB) on HKCMMS and Prof Jong-Tsun Huang, President of CMU at the CMU in Taichung. The CMU was Taiwan's first academic institution to provide Chinese medicine and pharmacy programmes.
The work to be undertaken by CMU will be funded by the HKCMMS Project and will focus on four Chinese herbs commonly used in Hong Kong, namely Curcumae Radix, Arecae Semen, Rosae Laevigatae Fructus and Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus.
The HKCMMS Project was initially launched in 2002 for the development of safety and quality standards for 60 Chinese herbs commonly used in Hong Kong, to be conducted in three phases. Of particular importance is that the principles and parameters for research and laboratory analysis are laid down clearly and objectively by a panel of internationally renowned experts. The target of 60 herbs was achieved in 2010, when the three-volume, internationally acclaimed "HKCMM Standards" was also published.
In his 2009-10 Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced that the Government would further expedite these efforts to cover up to a total of 200 Chinese herbs commonly used in Hong Kong by 2012. The engagement of CMU will further bolster the research capacity of the Project by bringing in expertise from another location where Chinese herbs and traditional Chinese medicine are in popular use.
Ends/Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:44
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