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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1978
SAFEGUARD AGAINST COUNTERFEIT AND SUB-STANDARD MEDICINES
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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S FORENSIC PHARMACY SECTION HAS MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES IN ENFORCING THE REVISED PHARMACY AND POISONS REGULATIONS TO SAFEGUARD THE PUBLIC AGAINST COUNTERFEIT AND SUB-STANDARD MEDICINES.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DR. S.F. LAM, IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THE COMMONWEALTH PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION PACIFIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE THIS (THURSDAY) MORNING,
HE SAID THE REVISED REGULATIONS, WHICH CAME INTO FORCE ON JULY 1 THIS YEAR FOLLOWING A MAJOR REVIEW BY THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD, WERE ALSO AIMED AT TIGHTENING THE EXISTING CONTROLS ON THE STORAGE, DISTRIBUTION AND SALE OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AND MEDICINES,
UNDER THE NEW REGULATIONS, IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AND MEDICINES WERE ALSO SUBJECT TO LICENSING CONTROL.
DR. LAM SAID THAT TO ENSURE THESE REGULATIONS WERE PROPERLY ENFORCED THE FORENSIC PHARMACY SECTION NOW HAS TO POLICE 2,500 SHOPS SELLING ORDINARY MEDICINES IN ADDITION TO 2,256 REGISTERED WITH THE BOARD AS LISTED SELLERS OF PART 11 POISONS.
HE SAID THERE WERE NOW ONLY 77 REGISTERED PHARMACIES OFFERING DISPENSING SERVICE IN HONG KONG WITH THE SALE OF POISONS AND ANTIBIOTICS IN THESE ESTABLISHMENTS UNDER THE CONTROL OF A REGISTERED PHARMACIST.
HE SAID THIS WAS A RATHER SMALL FIGURE WHICH HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED.
BUT IMPROVEMENT FOR THE TIME BEING HAS TO DEPEND ON PHARMACISTS TRAINED ABROAD A SITUATION WHICH WAS RATHER DISAPPOINTING, SAID DR. LAM.
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+WE ARE DOING ALL WE CAN TO FACILITATE THE REGISTRATION OF ANY PHARMACIST TRAINED ABROAD IN RECOGNISED INSTITUTIONS WANTING TO WORK IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
DR. LAM EXPLAINED THAT THOSE FROM RECOGNISED INSTITUTIONS OVERSEAS WITH THE REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, HAVING SATISFIED MEMBERS OF THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD, ARE REGISTERED AND ALLOWED TO PRACTISE THEIR PROFESSION.
THOSE FROM INSTITUTIONS WHOSE STANDARDS ARE QUESTIONABLE ARE GIVEN AN EXAMINATION AND WHEN FOUND SATISFACTORY ARE REGISTERED AFTER A PERIOD OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN AN APPROVED INSTITUTION HERE.
+BY AND LARGE, WITH THE EXPERTISE AND ADVICE OF THE PROFESSIONALS ON THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD, THIS SYSTEM OF REGISTRATION HAS WORKED VERY WELL AND WE ARE BENEFITING FROM THE STEADY STREAM OF TRAINED PROFESSIONAL PHARMACISTS RETURNING TO HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
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