XN000022-1987-03-25 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1987

+REGULATION 7 PROVIDES THAT, FOR MEDICINES WHICH CAN BE FREELY SOLD OVER THE COUNTER, INFORMATION ON THE KEY ASPECTS OF DOSAGE, ROUTE AND FREQUENCY OF ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE,

+THIS IS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE EXISTING REQUIREMENT WHICH IS THAT LABELS GIVING DETAILS OF THE COMPOSITION, THE MANUFACTURER AND THE CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION SHOULD BE IN EITHER ENGLISH OR CHINESE, HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT A GRACE PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS WOULD BE ALLOWED FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL TRADE TO COMPLY WITH THIS PROVISION.

+REGULATION 8 INCREASES THE PENALTIES FOR THE ILLEGAL MANUFACTURE OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AND THE IR ILLEGAL SUPPLY TO UNAUTHORISED PERSONS IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF THE EXISTING REGULATIONS.

+REGULATION 9 STIPULATES THE FORM OF LOGO FOR DISPLAY BY AUTHORISED SELLERS OF POISONS TO FACILITATE IDENTIFICATION BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

HE ADDED THAT THE AMENDMENT REGULATIONS ALSO MADE A NUMBER OF MINOR CHANGES, MAINLY TO THE FORMS SPECIFIED IN THE REGULATIONS.

LABELLING OF MEDICINE TO GO BILINGUAL **** *

A PROPOSED AMENDMENT IN THE PHARMACY AND POISONS (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1987, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE LABELLING OF MEDICINE WITH KEY INFORMATION TO BE PRINTED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE, WAS SUPPORTED BY LEGISLATORS.

DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP, CONVENER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP FORMED TO STUDY THE REGULATIONS, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT REGULATION 7 WAS +SENSIBLE AND NECESSARY+. SINCE THE MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS IN HONG KONG WERE CHINESE, AND A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS WERE IMPORTED FROM OVERSEAS COUNTRIES.

SHE ADDED THAT THERE WOULD BE A GRACE PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS BEFORE THE NEW LABELLING PROVISIONS BECAME EFFECTIVE SO THAT THE PHARMACEUTICAL TRADE HAD THE NECESSARY TIME TO COMPLY.

SHE SAID THAT THE AD HOC GROUP FELT IT DESIRABLE TO INCLUDE ON THE LABEL FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING POSSIBLE CONTRA- INDICATIONS AND SIDE-EFFECTS OF A PRODUCT.

/SHE SAID