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Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after attending a public function this afternoon (August 15):
Reporter: (On legislative progress on nutrition labelling for infant formula.)
Secretary for Food and Health: The Government has committed to push ahead with the legislative work on the nutrition requirements and labelling of infant formula.
Reporter: When will the legislation be in place?
Secretary for Food and Health: The leading time for any legislative process will at least be one to two years. So the Government will probably be looking at pushing ahead with a code of practice before any legislative initiative can be completed.
Reporter: Does it mean that we will not see it happen in two years' time?
Secretary for Food and Health: If any legislative process is involved, we cannot pre-empt the legislature in terms of setting a deadline. Our direction is for the establishment of legislation to govern the nutrition requirements and labelling of infant formula. Before that can be completed, we will push ahead with a code of practice first.
Reporter: When will be the first meeting of the Preparatory Task Force on the Chinese Medicine Development Committee?
Secretary for Food and Health: End of this month.
Reporter: Can you comment on criticisms by Western doctors?
Secretary for Food and Health: I do not know about the criticisms and really cannot comment.
Reporter: There is comment that you are pushing the Chinese medicine. How about the development of Western medicine in Hong Kong?
Secretary for Food and Health: The development of Chinese medicine will not affect the development of Western medicine. On the contrary, the development of Chinese medicine hopefully may help in alleviating some pressure on our public hospital system on the Western medical side, in particular primary care and rehabilitation services.
Ends/Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:12
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