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International meeting on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards held in Hong Kong (with photo)
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     The Ninth Meeting of the International Advisory Board (IAB) on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS) began in Hong Kong today (October 26) to finalise the setting of reference standards for 41 Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) commonly used in Hong Kong.

     The four-day meeting is being attended by over 70 overseas, Mainland and local experts. At the meeting, the IAB will review and endorse the research work of the current phase for 41 CMM. It will also evaluate the current state of research and discuss future research directions.

     Addressing the opening ceremony, the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan, said, "Over the past years, with the valuable advice of our renowned international experts and the concerted efforts of our collaboration partners, we have already established reference standards for 236 CMM and the HKCMMS have become well recognised reference standards in the field of Chinese medicine testing and certification.

     "In order to bring about wider international recognition of the HKCMMS, with support from IAB members, the Department of Health (DH) has started to pursue research collaboration with research institutions beyond Hong Kong and to enhance the regional and international collaboration."

     The IAB was established in early 2002 to give advice on the principles, methodologies and analytical methods for the development of the HKCMMS. It comprises renowned experts from the Mainland, Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States, in addition to local experts.

     It is also responsible for the selection of institutions to take up the required research work, including laboratory analysis and selection of target herbs, and to render assistance in setting up the content of the HKCMMS.

     As the research endeavours rest heavily on the work of the scientific community, Dr Chan expressed appreciation to the eight research partners, namely the Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the University of Hong Kong, the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control of the People's Republic of China and Taiwan's China Medical University, as well as the Government Laboratory.

     "In support of the HKCMMS Project, the Chief Executive has committed in his 2015 Policy Address to set up a Chinese Medicines Testing Centre to be managed by the DH, through which we will continue to formulate more Hong Kong CMM standards, with a view to expediting the internationalisation of Hong Kong's Chinese medicine industry," Dr Chan added.

     Printed copies of HKCMMS publications are available for sale at the Publications Sales Unit, Room 626, 6/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point.

     Previous publications of the HKCMMS can also be accessed at www.cmd.gov.hk/html/eng/hkcmms/volumes.html.

Ends/Monday, October 26, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:46

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