HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
2 November 1988
香港立法局———— 一九八八年十一月二日
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(a) by way of dentistry performed by a registered dentist;
(b) by way of the dispensation of medicine or poison by a registered pharmacist;
(c) by way of the dispensation of poison by a seller of poisons listed under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance;
(d) in the course of practice of one of the professions listed in the schedule to the Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance given by a registered or licensed person;
(e) by way of massage given in a massage establishment by or under the supervision of a person licensed to operate the massage establishment;
(f) by way of chiropody, chiropractic or osteopathy; and
(g) by way of first aid.
In addition, section 31 of the Medical Registration Ordinance permits a person of Chinese race to practise medicine or surgery according to purely Chinese methods; but such a person is not allowed to diagnose or treat diseases of the eye if he is not a registered medical practitioner.
It follows that, subject to the above qualifications, it ought to be illegal for an unqualified person to diagnose and treat patients using the laser and other methods mentioned in Dr. IP's main question.
The answers to Dr. IP's subsidiary questions are:
(a) there is at present no legislative control on the import, possession or use of devices involving laser, ultrasonic waves, shortwaves, microwaves, magnetic resonance and electrical stimulation; and, from experience, the public is generally aware of the fact that the diagnosis and treatment of patients by unqualified persons is unlawful;
(b) the Government is not aware of any widespread abuse of such devices for the unlawful diagnosis and treatment of patients;