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The newly established Chinese Medicine Development Committee, chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, held its first meeting today (March 4).
The Committee discussed a number of key areas in the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong, including personnel training and professional development, Chinese medicine services, scientific research and the development of a Chinese medicines industry. The Committee also set the future direction and targets for its focused areas of work.
To enable the Committee to focus its deliberations on the direction and long-term strategy of the development of Chinese medicines in Hong Kong, two standing sub-committees will be formed under the Committee, namely the Chinese Medicine Practice Sub-committee (CMPSC) and Chinese Medicines Industry Sub-committee (CMISC). The sub-committees will conduct studies and give advice and recommendations to the Committee on the development of Chinese medicine practitioners and the Chinese medicines industry respectively.
The CMPSC's terms of reference are to:
* study the needs for the professional development of Chinese medicine practitioners and explore means for the development of Chinese medicine practice specialties, in collaboration with the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong and the Steering Committee on Strategic Review on Healthcare Manpower Planning and Professional Development;
* explore means to facilitate the collaboration of Chinese medicine practitioners and medical doctors in the provision of clinical services to patients;
* explore means to expand the role of Chinese medicine in the public healthcare system; and
* study the feasibility of establishing a Chinese medicine hospital.
The CMISC's terms of reference are to:
* explore means to enhance the quality of Chinese medicines in Hong Kong, including ways to facilitate the implementation of the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Clinical Practice;
* set the priority areas of and facilitate research on Chinese medicines, in collaboration with the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong and the Committee on Research and Development of Chinese Medicines;
* explore means to promote Hong Kong as a centre for testing and certification of Chinese medicines; and
* promote the status of and explore business opportunities for the Chinese medicines industry in Hong Kong.
The Chief Executive announced in his 2013 Policy Address the establishment of the Committee to give recommendations to the Government concerning the direction and long-term strategy of the future development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. The Committee, chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health, comprises 16 non-official members from among Chinese medicine practitioners, the Chinese medicines trade, academia, the research and healthcare sectors and lay persons; as well as four ex-officio members, including the Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health), Director of Health, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology and Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority.
Ends/Monday, March 4, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:17
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