Sir
DRAFT SPEECH BY DR HON CHIU HIN KWONG
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
M
25.3.87
Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) Regulations 1987
(I)
We
On top of many other efforts to safeguard the health of the general public, the medical profession has been all along endeavouring to draw the Government's attention to the loopholes in the existing Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations. continue to point out the importance of prescriptions to be dispensed only by qualified pharmacists of authorized or approved sellers and the need to provide key information in both English and Chinese on labels, leaflets or inserts accompanying the medicines which can be purchased over the counter. We are pleased to learn that the Government is answering our calls by concrete actions.
Among other amendments, I want to say a few words about Regulation 7. I consider that clear, accurate and important information on dosage, route and frequency of administration is essential, but details on contra-indications, side-effects, precautions and warnings are also indispensable.
Sir, it will be impracticable, if not impossible, to request pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide every single detail of the drugs concerned. However, it is imperative to ensure that key information is not omitted. Therefore, the Registration Committee is urged to take up the responsibility to check all essential details during the registration process. Should any key points be found to be inaccurate, misleading, inadequate or lacking, unless follow-up actions are taken to satisfy the set requirements, no registration permit
will be granted.