In response to media reports alleging that a registered Chinese medicine practitioner (CMP) issued sick leave certificates without conducting consultations and is suspected of improperly issuing such certificates, the Department of Health today (October 20) has referred the case to the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (CMCHK) and the Hong Kong Police Force for investigation and follow-up.

     Registered and listed CMPs in Hong Kong are required to comply with the Code of Professional Conduct for Chinese Medicine Practitioners (the Code) and relevant guidelines promulgated by the CMCHK. In relation to the issuance of sick leave certificates, CMPs should follow the Reference Guide on Issuance of Sick Leave Certificate and Certificate of Attendance by Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners and, based on their professional judgment and the individual circumstances of each patient, to issue appropriate sick leave certificates where justified.

     Where a CMP, in the course of professional practice, engages in conduct that falls short of the standards reasonably expected of members of the Chinese medicine profession, the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of the CMCHK and its Disciplinary Committee will handle the matter in accordance with the procedures set out in the Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Discipline) Regulation (Cap. 549D), a subsidiary legislation under the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, and the Code. In the past, CMPs who issued misleading or false sick leave certificates were, following investigation and disciplinary inquiries by the CMCHK, found guilty of professional misconduct and removed from the Register of Chinese Medicine Practitioners.

     Members of the public who are dissatisfied with the practice or professional conduct of a registered or listed CMP may lodge a written complaint with the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of the CMCHK. Details of the complaint procedures are available on the CMCHK's website for public reference.

Ends/Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Issued at HKT 21:15

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