In anticipation of the upcoming National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays on the Mainland, the Department of Health (DH) today (September 29) announced that it has stepped up inspections of Authorized Sellers of Poisons (ASPs), commonly known as pharmacies; Listed Sellers of Poisons, commonly known as medicine companies; and Retailers of Chinese Herbal Medicines in tourist areas to monitor their compliance with the laws and the relevant codes of practice. Approximately 8 500 inspections of these premises were conducted in the first half of this year to combat illegal practices, particularly the illegal use of the pharmacy logo. These efforts aim to safeguard public health and enhance tourists' confidence in shopping in Hong Kong. The DH also reminded tourists that registered premises of pharmacies in Hong Kong display a prescribed logo for identification (see attachment).

Stepping up inspections and enforcement
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     Between September 2024 and August 2025, 11 limited companies that were not pharmacies were convicted of displaying a logo on their premises resembling the logo in the prescribed form of a pharmacy and were fined amounts ranging from $2,000 to $10,000. Another proprietor of a retailer, who was also not an ASP, committed the same offence and was convicted and fined $5,000 in May this year.

     According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138), only persons authorised by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong as ASPs are allowed to conduct the relevant retail business of selling poisons, including poisons listed in Part 1 and Part 2 of the Poisons List at Schedule 10 to the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A). "Pharmacy" or "Dispensary" is a restricted title for a shop that has been granted a valid licence of ASP.

     As far as "Listed Sellers of Poisons" are concerned, retail outlets can conduct the retail business of selling poisons listed in Part 2 of the Poisons List and can only sell common drugs, such as cold and flu medicines, and do not have a duty pharmacist in the shop. Such vendors cannot use the pharmacy logo or title.

     It is illegal to display a logo in the prescribed form of a pharmacy or a logo which so resembled the logo in the prescribed form at premises other than the registered premises of a pharmacy. It is also illegal to use the Chinese term "藥房" or the terms such as "pharmacy", "dispensary", "drug-store" in connection with any business engaged in the retail sale of poisons. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.

     The use of a pharmacy logo or its title as stipulated by the Ordinance is applicable to all retailers, including those that are not licensed by the Board. The DH has been collecting intelligence through different channels. If any retailer is suspected of illegally displaying a pharmacy logo in the prescribed form or pharmacy title, the DH will follow up and carry out investigation immediately and conduct joint operation with the relevant departments when necessary.

Label for ASPs and "Licence Scanner"
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     To enable the public to identify registered pharmacies, the DH has formulated a label for identification of ASPs, and the labels have been sent to each pharmacy for display in a conspicuous position in the pharmacy. Users can obtain information about the registered pharmacy by scanning the QR Code on the label displayed in the pharmacy.

     Members of the public and tourists can also download the eHealth app from the website (app.ehealth.gov.hk) and use the "Licence Scanner" on its homepage to scan the QR code displayed at the pharmacy. For registered pharmacies, the message "This is a QR Code issued for licensed pharmacy" will appear alongside details of that particular registered pharmacy. Members of the public can also visit the website of the DH's Drug Office for the names and addresses of all licensees including ASPs.

     In addition, to help Mainland visitors distinguish pharmacies in Hong Kong, the DH also detailed points to note when buying medicines from pharmacies in Hong Kong on its official WeChat account (www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/108354.html).

All registered pharmaceutical products and proprietary Chinese medicines have registration numbers
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     In addition, when purchasing pharmaceutical products and proprietary Chinese medicines, the public should check whether the product bears a Hong Kong registration number to confirm if it has been registered in Hong Kong. All registered pharmaceutical products are marked with a Hong Kong registration number in the format of "HK-XXXXX" (where "XXXXX" is a five-digit number), while the registration number for proprietary Chinese medicines follows the format "HKC-XXXXX". Members of the public and tourists can use the "Search Drug Database" function on the website of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong to check information on individual registered pharmaceutical products by entering the product name, active ingredient, or registration number. They can also refer to the list of registered proprietary Chinese medicines on the website of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong to search for details such as the registration number and product name of the specific proprietary Chinese medicines they wish to purchase and verify them when making a purchase.

     For more information on the safety of buying and safe use of medicines, please visit the website of the DH's Drug Office (www.drugoffice.gov.hk/eps/do/en/consumer/consumer_safety_advisories/index.html) and the website of the DH's Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office (www.cmro.gov.hk/html/eng/useful_information/public_health/notes_for_purchasing_cm.html).

Ends/Monday, September 29, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:30

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