XN000022-1980-11-12 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1980

WORKING PARTY SET UP TO STUDY LOCAL PHARMACY PRACTICE ******

THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET UP A WORKING PARTY TO REVIEW THE PRESENT LEGISLATION RELATING TO THE PRACTICE OF PHARMACY AND THE NEED FOR TRAINING FACILITIES.

MR ALEX S.C. WU WILL CHAIR THE WORKING PARTY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE IN ITS MEMBERSHIP REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERESTED PROFESSIONS AND OF THE WIDER PUBLIC INTEREST.

+ONE OF THE TASKS OF THE WORKING PARTY, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID, IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE EXISTING LAW SHOULD BE AMENDED TO REQUIRE ALL PRESCRIPTIONS TO BE HANDLED BY A REGISTERED PHARMACIST.+

IN HONG KONG AT PRESENT REGISTERED PHARMACISTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE EMPLOYED ONLY IN PREMISES REGISTERED AS AUTHORISED SELLERS OF POISONS, AND PREMISES LICENSED TO MANUFACTURE PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THE PHARMACY AND POISONS ORDINANCE, HOWEVER, DOES NOT APPLY TO A MEDICINE SUPPLIED BY A REGISTERED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER OR DENTIST FOR PURPOSES OF MEDICAL OR DENTAL TREATMENT.

+THIS MEANS THAT PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS ARE ALLOWED TO DO THEIR OWN DISPENSING. AND THERE IS NO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF QUALIFIED PHARMACISTS IN A DOCTOR'S DISPENSARY.

THERE ARE AT PRESENT A TOTAL OF 335 PHARMACISTS PRACTISING LOCALLY, AND WHILE THERE ARE NO FACILITIES FOR THE TRAINING OF PHARMACISTS, AVAILABLE INFORMATION SUGGESTS THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT JOE OPPORTUNITIES TO WARRANT THE INTRODUCTION OF A SPECIAL TRAINING COURSE UNDER THE EXISTING LEGISLATION.

+SO, BEFORE LAUNCHING ANY TRAINING SCHEME, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, IT IS NECESSARY TO REVIEW THE PRESENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE PHARMACY AND DISPENSING FIELD TO ESTABLISH WHETHER IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST THE LAW NEEDS TO BE AMENDED.+

IT IS ALSO NECESSARY FIRST TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PHARMACISTS AND SUPPORTING STAFF SUCH AS DISPENSERS AND PHARMACY TECHNICIANS - TO TRY TO ASCERTAIN WHAT TYPE AND LEVEL OF TRAINING SHOULD BE PROVIDED, HE SAID.

ACCORDINGLY, THE WORKING PARTY HAS WIDE TERMS OF REFERENCE AND WILL CONSIDER:

(A) WHETHER THE LAW REQUIRING THE EMPLOYMENT OF PHARMACISTS

REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 5 OF THE PHARMACY AND POISONS ORDINANCE SHOULD BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY-

(B) THE NEED FOR PHARMACISTS BOTH IN THE PUBLIC AND IN THE PRIVATE SECTORS UNDER THE EXISTING LEGISLATION AND UNDER ANY POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS, IF ANY, RECOMMENDED UNDER (A) ABOVE.

/(C) THE