XN000022-1980-07-04 — Page 3

FRIDAY, JULY 4, 1980

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NEW BILL PROPOSES REGISTRATION OF

IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

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ALL IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS WILL REQUIRE REGISTRATION WITH THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD AS PROPOSED BY A BILL PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

THIS MAY AFFECT SOME 400 IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS WHO ARE NOT ALREADY REGISTERED AS WHOLESALE DEALERS IN POISONS BY THE BOARD, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID,

THE PHARMACY AND POISONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980 PROPOSES FOUR MAJOR CHANGES TO EXISTING LEGISLATION:

* TO ENABLE THE BOARD TO ESTABLISH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES

TO DEAL WITH LICENSING AND RELATED MATTERS-

* INTRODUCE A NEW PROCEDURE FOR APPEALS AGAINST DECISIONS

OF THE BOARD OR ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES-

* PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION OF IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS

OF ALL PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS, AND

* PROVIDE THAT POISONS MAY ONLY BE EXPORTED BY PERMITTED

DEALERS IN POISONS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WERE A LARGE NUMBER OF WIDELY USED PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS WHICH DO NOT CONTAIN POISON AVAILABLE AND WHOSE DEALERS DO NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION WITH THE BOARD.

+THIS IS REGARDED AS UNSATISFACTORY BECAUSE MANY OF THE PRODUCTS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DETERIORATION DUE TO POOR STORAGE CONDITIONS AND THE PREMISES IN WHICH THEY ARE HELD ARE NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTION,+ HE SAID,

HE ADDED THERE WERE ABOUT 1 000 IMPORTERS/EXPORTERS OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS IN HONG KONG, OF WHICH ABOUT 60 PER CENT WERE LICENSED WHOLESALE DEALERS IN POISONS AND WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE AMENDMENT.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES, AS PROPOSED IN THE BILL, WILL ENABLE THE BOARD TO DELEGATE ITS ROUTINE LICENSING AND REGISTRATION FUNCTIONS OTHER THAN THE REGISTRATION OF PHARMACISTS -TO SUB-COMMITTEES.

THE DILL PROVIDES APPEALS AGAINST THE DECISIONS OF THE COMMITTEES OR THE BOARD THROUGH A PHARMACY AND POISONS APPEAL TRIBUNAL TO RESOLVE DISPUTES MORE APPROPRIATELY, EXPEDITIOUSLY AND AT LESS EXPENSE. A FINAL APPEAL COULD BE MADE THROUGH THE HIGH COURT.

THE BILL ALSO AIMS TO CLARIFY AN ANOMALY IN THE EXISTING LEGISLATION THAT ALL EXPORTERS OF POISONS SHOULD BE REGISTERED AS EXPORTERS OR LICENSED WHOLESALE DEALERS IN POISONS.

THE BILL ALSO AIMS TO REMOVE THE EXEMPTION PRESENTLY GRANTED TO PEOPLE EXPORTING POISONS.

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