MONDAY, JULY 2, 1979
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1978 BUSIEST EVER YEAR FOR GOVT LABORATORY
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THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY LAST YEAR MADE A RECORD NUMBER OF EXAMINATIONS ON ALL TYPES OF IMPORTED AND LOCALLY MANUFACTURED DRUGS AND MEDICINES.
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MORE THAN 4,200 LABORATORY EXAMINATIONS AN INCREASE OF 20 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S TOTAL - WERE MADE ON A MYRIAD OF PRODUCTS RANGING FROM ANTIBIOTICS TO VITAMIN TABLETS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABORATORY TODAY (MONDAY) POINTED OUT THAT SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PHARMACY AND POISONS REGULATIONS LAST JULY, CLOSE TO 10,000 APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF PHARMACEUTICALS HAD BEEN RECEIVED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
HE SAID THAT PRODUCTS SUBMITTED FOR REGISTRATION HAVE TO UNDERGO STRINGENT EXAMINATIONS TO ENSURE THEY CONFORM TO CERTAIN STANDARDS OF SAFETY, QUALITY AND EFFICACY BEFORE BEING REGISTERED AND MARKETED.
THE ADOPTION OF THESE MEASURES, ACCORDING TO THE SPOKESMAN, IS TO PROTECT CONSUMERS AGAINST COUNTERFEIT, DEFECTIVE AND SUB-STANDARD PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS.
THIS INCREASED THE WORKLOAD OF THE LABORATORY, AND PRIORITY HAD TO BE GIVEN TO PRODUCTS WHICH HAD NOT BEEN MARKETED IN HONG KONG BEFORE AS THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF THESE PRODUCTS ON HUMAN AND ANIMALS WERE RELATIVELY UNKNOWN HERE.
COMMENTING ON THE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS SUBMITTED FOR STATUTORY TESTING, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT 41 PER CENT OF THE ITEMS EXAMINED WERE NUTRITIONAL AGENTS, MAINLY VITAMINS, AND 13 PER CENT ANTIBIOTICS.
+VITAMINS, OF COURSE, PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS, BUT IT DOES SHOW THE PUBLIC IS BECOMING MORE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION, THE SPOKESMAN REMARKED.
+HOWEVER, ANOTHER REASON FOR VITAMINS BECOMING SO POPULAR IS THAT THEIR SALE IS NOT SUBJECT TO CONTROL,+ HE ADDED.
OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS SUBMITTED, MOST WERE IMPORTED MEDICINES FROM MEDICINE COMPANIES, DISPENSARIES AND WHOLESALE DEALERS IN HONG KONG WHICH ARE AUTHORISED TO SELL PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS TO THE PUBLIC. BUT PRODUCTS FROM LOCAL DRUG MANUFACTURERS ALSO REPRESENT A CONSIDERABLE PROPORTION SOME 12.2 PER CENT.
+ IF THESE PRODUCTS COMPLIED WITH STANDARD REQUIREMENTS,+ THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED, +A CERTIFICATE OF DRUG OR PRODUCT REGISTRATION WOULD BE ISSUED TO THE APPLICANTS BY THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD.
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