XN000022-1989-08-22 — Page 2

TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1989

WORKING PARTY ON CHINESE MEDICINE APPOINTED

THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE HAS APPOINTED A WORKING PARTY TO LOOK INTO THE USE AND PRACTICE OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE IN HONG KONG.

"IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON APRIL 19 THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE HAD SAID THAT, IN THE LIGHT OF PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE USE OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE IN HONG KONG, THE ADMINISTRATION WAS EXPLORING THE BEST MEANS TO REVIEW THIS ISSUE," A HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

"IT HAS NOW BEEN DECIDED THAT A SMALL WORKING PARTY COMPRISING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND EXPERTS FROM THE TWO UNIVERSITIES IS THE MOST EFFICIENT AND PRACTICABLE WAY TO ENABLE AN ASSESSMENT TO BE MADE OF THE USE OF CHINESE MEDICINE BY THE COMMUNITY,' HE ADDED.

FOR

THE WORKING PARTY IS CHAIRED BY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY HEALTH AND WELFARE (MEDICAL) AND COMPRISES REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE HOSPITAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH.

ALSO APPOINTED AS MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY ARE PROFESSOR S.P.B. DONNAN, PROFESSOR OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG; DR YEUNG HIN-WING, DIRECTOR OF THE CHINESE MEDICINAL MATERIAL RESEARCH CENTRE AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY HONG KONG; AND DR MABEL MEI-PO YANG, LECTURER IN THE DEPARTMENT PHYSIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.

THE WORKING PARTY'S TERMS OF REFERENCE ARE:

OF

OF

FORMS OF

(1) TO EXAMINE THE PRESENT PRACTICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE IN HONG KONG INCLUDING HERBAL MEDICINE, ACUPUNCTURE. BONE-SETTING AND THE FORMS OF TRAINING GIVEN TO THE PRACTITIONERS;

CHINESE

(2) TO IDENTIFY ANY WIDESPREAD ABUSES OF TRADITIONAL

MEDICINE WHICH POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO HEALTH AND то ADVISE WHAT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PREVENT SUCH ABUSES;

(3) TO ADVISE ON OTHER MEASURES THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN ΤΟ

PROMOTE THE GOOD PRACTICE OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE.

"DESPITE THE EXTENSIVE USE OF CHINESE MEDICINE AS A FORM OF PREVENTIVE AND CURATIVE MEDICAL CARE IN A CHINESE COMMUNITY. THERE IS GENERALLY A LACK OF ACCURATE AND COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON THE MATTER.

"ONE OF THE FIRST TASKS OF THE WORKING PARTY WILL THEREFORE BE TO OBTAIN COMPREHENSIVE DATA ON THE PRACTICE AND UTILISATION OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE IN HONG KONG, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

"

THE WORKING PARTY IS EXPECTED TO HOLD ITS FIRST MEETING IN LATE SEPTEMBER.

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