XN000022-1979-05-23 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1979

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HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT OF THESE 19 AGENCIES, 14 WOULD STILL RECEIVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF SUBVENTION COMPARED WITH 1978-79.

HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO CUTTING BACK OF EXPENDITURE, AND IN ALL CASES, THE SUBSIDY GIVEN WAS WHAT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN EXISTING LEVELS OF SERVICE AND TO ENABLE NEW SERVICES OR BETTER STANDARDS OF SERVICE TO BE INTRODUCED WITHIN APPROVED GOVERNMENT POLICIES.

+IF DURING THE YEAR, THIS PROVES TO BE INSUFFICIENT, SUPPLEMENTARY GRANTS MAY BE CONSIDERED, HE SAID.

MR. LEE EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT COMMIT ITSELF TO GIVING AN AGENCY WHAT IT ASKED FOR BUT MUST HAVE REGARD TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS.

THESE FACTORS, HE SAID, ARE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR ALLOCATION IN THE ONE-LINE VOTE, THE CAPACITY OF THE AGENCY, ITS OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME, EXISTING LEVELS OF SERVICES AND WHETHER PLANNED EXPANSION OR IMPROVED SERVICES ARE IN LINE WITH APPROVED PROGRAMMES AND ARE REALISTIC IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION.

MEASURES TAKEN TO CONTROL CHINESE PATENT MEDICINE EFFECTIVE

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MEASURES TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT IN CONTROLLING CHINESE PATENT MEDICINES CONTAINING SUBSTANCES LISTED UNDER THE SCHEDULED DRUGS HAVE PROVED EFFECTIVE.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. THE HON, K.L. THONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. WONG LAM.

SO FAR THIS YEAR LESS THAN THREE PER CENT OF THE SAMPLES TAKEN FROM MEDICINE SHOPS WERE FOUND TO CONTAIN DRUGS SCHEDULED UNDER THE PHARMACY AND POISONS REGULATIONS COMPARED WITH MORE THAN 30 PER CENT TAKEN OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

DR. THONG EXPLAINED THAT SAMPLES OF CHINESE PATENT MEDICINES ARE TAKEN ROUTINELY FROM MEDICINE SHOPS, AND ALSO ON COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC, BY THE STAFF OF THE FORENSIC PHARMACY SECTION FOR ANALYSIS.

+STOCKS OF SUCH MEDICINES, IF FOUND TO CONTAIN SCHEDULED DRUGS, ARE SEIZED UNDER THE PROVISION OF THE PHARMACY AND POISONS ORDINANCE AND THE CASES ARE REPORTED TO THE POLICE WHO WILL NORMALLY INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS WITH A VIEW TO PROSECUTIONS, DR. THONG SAID,

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