XN000022-1974-07-17 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1974

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CONTROL OF HERBAL MEDICINE MIXTURES

CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH LABELLING REQUIREMENTS

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DR. THE HON. GERALD CHOA, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, TODAY WARNED MANUFACTURERS OF HERBAL MEDICINES MIXED WITH OTHER PREPARATIONS THAT THEY ARE LIABLE TO PROSECUTION IF THEY FAIL TO COMPLY WITH LABELLING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE LAW.

HE WAS REPLY ING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO DR. THE HON, HARRY FANG, WHO HAD ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE STEPS +TO PREVENT THE SALE OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS CONTAINED IN THE POISONS LIST MIXED WITH HERBAL REMEDIES.+

DR. CHOA SAID HERBAL MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS WERE EXEMPTED FROM THE CONTROL OF THE PHARMACY AND POISONS ORDINANCE ONLY 'IF THEIR CONTENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE CHINESE HERBAL MATERIA MEDICA.+ (THIS WAS A REFERENCE TO A FORMAL BOOK ON CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINES PUBLISHED IN CHINA SOME YEARS AGO, AND RECOGNISED IN HONG KONG AS THE DEFINITIVE STANDARD WORK ON THE SUBJECT.)

DR. CHOA EXPLAINED THAT IF A MEDICINAL PREPARATION CONTAINED A SYNTHETIC DRUG ON THE POISONS LIST, +A LABEL GIVING FULL PARTICULARS, INCLUDING ITS EXACT QUANTITY, MUST BE AFFIXED ON THE CONTAINER.+

IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, ITS SALE WAS CONTROLLED, ESPECIALLY IF THE PREPARATION CONTAINED POISONS WHICH COULD ONLY BE OBTAINED ON PRESCRIPTION.

RENEWAL OF DRIVING LICENCES

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DRIVING LICENCES MAY SOON BE RENEWED FROM THE DATE OF EXPIRY OF THE PREVIOUS PERIOD. INSTEAD OF FROM THE DATE OF APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL AS AT PRESENT.

THE NECESSARY SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION FOR THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE MADE NEXT MONTH, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. A.T. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT, TOLD COUNCIL TODAY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. OSWALD CHEUNG.

AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID, AMENDMENTS WOULD BE MADE TO TO THE ROAD TRAFFIC CDRIVING LICENCES) REGULATIONS TO PERMIT THE INTRODUCTION OF LAMINATED LICENCES.

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