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Following is a question by the Hon Joseph Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today (January 9):
Question:
At present, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong (the Board) is responsible for matters relating to the regulation of pharmacists and the pharmaceutical industry. Some pharmacists have relayed to me that as the Board is responsible only for the registration and disciplinary matters of pharmacists, it is not effective in promoting the professional development of pharmacists. It is noted that the Board proposed in the 1980s, and again in 1996-1997, that legislative amendments be made to place pharmacists and the pharmaceutical industry under the supervision of different authorities, and the Board had drafted a bill for that purpose. On the other hand, the Review Committee on Regulation of Pharmaceutical Products in Hong Kong published a report in 2009, making 75 recommendations on the regulatory regime for the pharmaceutical industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether the authorities have followed up the aforesaid proposed legislative amendments; if they have, of the details of the follow-up work; whether the authorities will make reference to that proposal and amend the existing legislation in order to establish a pharmacist board responsible for matters such as the registration of pharmacists, as well as their professional standards, conduct and development, etc.;
(b) whether the authorities have plans to develop a code of conduct and a code of practice for pharmacists, so as to further enhance the safety in the administration of medication for patients; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) of the latest progress of the authorities' follow-up on the aforesaid 75 recommendations; whether they will implement these recommendations together with the proposal of establishing a pharmacist board; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Pharmacists and the pharmaceutical trade have all along been subject to stringent regulatory control in Hong Kong. The regulatory control over pharmacists and the pharmaceutical trade under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) (PPO) and its regulations covers the registration and professional conduct of pharmacists, the registration of pharmaceutical products and practising requirements for the pharmaceutical trade, etc. The Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong established under the PPO is responsible for carrying out the provisions of the PPO.
My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(a) The Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong previously made a proposal to the Government on the establishment of different boards for separate regulation of pharmacists and the pharmaceutical trade. We also conducted a study on the proposal between 1996 and 1998. As the PPO already covered the regulation of pharmacists and the pharmaceutical trade, protecting the safety of the public regarding the purchase and use of pharmaceutical products in Hong Kong and regulating the professional conduct of pharmacists, no amendment was made to the relevant legislation at that time in response to the proposal. We understand the pharmacist profession's request for separate regulation of pharmacists and the pharmaceutical trade, and will give further deliberation to the issue.
Moreover, the Government has set up a Steering Committee on Strategic Review on Healthcare Manpower Planning and Professional Development, chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health, to conduct a strategic review of healthcare manpower planning and professional development in Hong Kong. The review will cover the 13 healthcare professions currently subject to statutory regulation including pharmacists. The Steering Committee will put forward recommendations on how to strengthen professional training and facilitate professional development having regard to the findings of the strategic review, with a view to ensuring the healthy and sustainable development of Hong Kong's healthcare system.
(b) Formulation of a code of practice can facilitate a better regularisation of the pharmacist profession and enhance public confidence in the pharmacist profession. We will consider inviting the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong to develop such a code for pharmacists so as to raise the standards of their professional services.
(c) The Department of Health has been actively implementing the 75 recommendations put forward in the Report of the Review Committee on Regulation of Pharmaceutical Products in Hong Kong. Recommendations which have already been implemented include the setting up of the Drug Office in September 2011, raising the requirements of microbiological monitoring in the process of drug manufacturing by local drug manufacturers, stepping up inspection on drug manufacturers and traders, and provision of more information on drug safety on the website of the Drug Office, etc. While follow-up actions are still being taken on some of the recommendations, the implementation of some others requires amendments to be made to the existing PPO and related regulations. We are now drafting the relevant legislative amendments and will submit them to the Legislative Council in due course.
Setting up of an independent Pharmacists Board is not among the recommendations of the Review Committee. We are taking forward the recommendations of the Review Committee to make legislative amendments to tackle the limitations of our existing regulation and law enforcement over pharmaceutical products under the PPO so as to enhance drug safety as soon as possible.
Ends/Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:00
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