Secretary for Health welcomes conclusion of transitional registration system for proprietary Chinese medicines
******************************************************************************************
Professor Lo said, "I would like to express my gratitude to the CMCHK and its Chinese Medicines Board for their years of dedication in overcoming challenges to complete the historic task of the transitional registration for pCms. Hong Kong-registered pCms will become a key component in CM development as well as health and medical innovation. With Hong Kong's robust regulatory system for pCms, its brand effect can attract more high-quality pCms from the Mainland and overseas to register in the city, thereby assisting the industry in further expanding into global markets and accelerating the internationalisation of CM.
"In recent years, our country has been committed to promoting the inheritance and innovation development of CM with a number of CM-related policy initiatives formulated, including the streamlining of approval procedures for Hong Kong-registered traditional pCms to be registered on the Mainland. Currently, 16 traditional pCms for external use in Hong Kong have been approved for sale on the Mainland through the streamlined procedures. The development of pCms in Hong Kong has scaled new heights, aligning seamlessly with the national development plan for CM."
Professor Lo expressed that the successful completion of the work was attributed to the concerted efforts of the Government and industry. The Department of Health provided comprehensive professional and administrative support to the CMCHK, ensuring that the evaluation and approval procedures adhered to stringent requirements integrating traditional CM theories with modern science. Meanwhile, the CM industry demonstrated its commitment to enhancing the quality of CM by continuously enhancing production and management practices to meet relevant quality standards.
To assist holders of transitionally registered pCms in obtaining formal registration as early as possible, the Health Bureau has previously provided funding to the industry through the Chinese Medicine Development Fund. Under the Proprietary Chinese Medicine Registration Support Scheme, subsidies were granted to holders of transitionally registered pCms to engage professional consultants for advice on formal registration matters and/or to conduct necessary laboratory tests. Moving forward, the Government will continue to collaborate with the CM industry to jointly promote the innovation and development of CM. The Health Bureau will release the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint by the end of this year, which will include more strategies to comprehensively enhance the development of CM in Hong Kong.
Ends/Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Issued at HKT 15:45
Issued at HKT 15:45
NNNN