XN000022-1986-07-30 — Page 59

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1986

+WITH THE BENEFIT OF SUCH ADVICE THE OPERATORS WILL BE BETTER PLACED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CARRYING CAPACITY IN AREAS WHERE MAJOR DEMAND CAN BE EXPECTED, THUS IN THE CASE OF THE MTRC INCREASING STATION THROUGHPUT AND REDUCING THE NEED TO REGULATE ADMISSION OF INTENDING PASSENGERS THROUGH PERIODIC CLOSURE OF STATION ENTRANCES, + HE SAID.

MR GREWAL RECALLED THAT WITHIN THE FIRST 30 MINUTES OF SIGNAL NO. 8 BEING HOISTED DURING TYPHOON PEGGY, SOME MTR STATIONS WERE SUBJECTED TO DEMAND FROM INTENDING PASSENGERS WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE HANDLED OVER A PERIOD OF TWO HOURS OR MORE.

BAN ON CHILDREN'S ASPIRIN UNNECESSARY'

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THE PHARMACEUTICAL REGISTRATION COMMITTEE HAD CONSIDERED THAT A BAN ON CHILDREN'S ASPIR IN WOULD BE UNNECESSARY AS NO DEFINITE LINK BETWEEN THE DRUG AND REYE'S SYNDROME HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED UP TO THE PRESENT, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON NIGEL SHIPMAN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON SEL INA CHOW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR SHIPMAN SAID THE COMMITTEE HAD TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE EVIDENCE AND REPORTS FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN ITS DELIBERATIONS.

+1 AM NOT AWARE OF ANY COUNTRY WHICH HAS BANNED THE SALE OF JUNIOR ASPIRIN PRODUCTS AND, MOREOVER, ASPIRIN REMAINS A SUITABLE DRUG FOR ADULTS, HE SAID.

THERE WERE NO CHILDREN'S DEATHS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE USE OF ASPITIN, HE ADDED,

MR SHIPMAN SAID THE PHARMACEUTICAL REGISTRATION COMMITTEE, HAVING RECEIVED RESULTS OF A STUDY WHICH LED TO VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL OF THE DRUG IN UK, HAD DECIDED ON JULY 16 THAT WHILE THE CAUSES OF REYE'S SYNDROME WERE NOT CLEARLY DEFINED, ASPIRIN MIGHT BE A CONTRIBUTORY CAUSE OF THE DISEASE IN SOME CHILDREN.

THIS CONCLUSION, ALONG WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST THE VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL OF THE DRUG FROM THE MARKET, WERE ACCEPTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.

/THE MEDICAL ....