WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1977
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PHARMACY AND POISONS (AMENDMENT) BILL
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A BILL TO GREATLY FACILITATE THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTROL OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED LOCALLY OR IMPORTED RECEIVED ITS SECOND READING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MOVING THE PHARMACY AND POISONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. THE HON. K.L. THONG SAID THE PRESENT DEFINITION OF PHARMACÉUTICAL PRODUCTS' AND 'MEDICINE' WAS OUT OF DATE AND ITS MEANING DID NOT ADEQUATELY COVER MANY ITEMS SUCH AS VACCINES, DIAGNOSTICS AND HORMONE PREPARATIONS.
HE SAID FURTHERMORE, IT LEFT ROOM FOR ARGUMENT AS TO WHETHER CERTAIN SUBSTANCES WERE SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION. THE PROPOSED DEFINITION WHICH IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION DEFINITION SHOULD BE MORE MEANINGFUL IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL SENSE,+ HE SAID.
DR. THONG SAID THIS WOULD BROADEN THE MEANING OF 'PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS' AND 'MEDICINE' TO COVER A WIDER RANGE OF SUBSTANCES AND WOULD BRING HONG KONG UP TO DATE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL DEFINITION
IN THIS FIELD.
+ I SHOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALLAY DOUBTS FROM CERTAIN QUARTERS THAT THIS DEFINITION MAY BE MISINTERPRETED TO INCLUDE FOOD STUFFS SUCH AS RICE AND COFFEE AND SHOULD LIKE TO STATE CATEGORICALLY THAT IT IS NEITHER IN THE SPIRIT NOR IN THE INTENTION OF THE LAW THAT THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, HE ADDED.
THE DIRECTOR PROPOSED TO INTRODUCE THIS CLAUSE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT IF APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
DR. THONG SAID THE SECOND MAIN PURPOSE OF THE BILL WAS TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE ISSUE OF PRACTISING CERTIFICATES TO REGISTERED PHARMACISTS IN FUTURE BY THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD.
AT PRESENT REGISTERED PHARMACISTS ARE REQUIRED BY SECTION 25 OF THE STAMP ORDINANCE TO OBTAIN THESE CERTIFICATES FROM THE COLLECTOR OF STAMP REVENUE.
DR. THONG SAID THE OBJECT OF THIS CHANGE WAS TO ENABLE MORE ACCURATE STATISTICS TO BE OBTAINED ON THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED PHARMACISTS ACTUALLY PRACTISING PHARMACY IN HONG KONG BY THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD. + THE BILL PROVIDES THIS CHANGE TO TAKE EFFECT FROM JANUARY 1, 1978, + HE ADDED.
THE BILL ALSO BROADENED THE POWER OF THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD TO ORDER THE REMOVAL FROM THE REGISTER OF NAMES OF REGISTERED PHARMACISTS TO COVER THE CASE OF A REGISTERED PHARMACIST WHO PRACTISED PHARMACY IN HONG KONG FOR A PERIOD EXCEEDING SIX MONTHS WITHOUT HAVING OBTAINED AN ANNUAL PRACTISING CERTIFICATE OR WHO WAS NO LONGER PRACTISING PHARMACY LOCALLY, DR. THONG SAID.
HE ADDED THAT THE BILL ALSO CONTAINED SUPPORTING PROVISIONS UNDER WHICH A PHARMACIST WHO WAS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A PRACTISING CERTIFICATE SHOULD NOT BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER ANY PROFESSIONAL FEES, COSTS OF REMUNERATION ON ANY CAUSE OF ACTION UNLESS HE WAS, AT THE RELEVANT TIME, THE HOLDER OF A VALID PRACTISING CERTIFICATE.
THE DEBATE ON THE BILL HAS BEEN ADJOURNED.
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