XN000022-1992-05-13 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1992

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SPEECH BY ACTING SHW IN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON CHINESE MEDICINE IN LEGCO

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT,

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MAY I FIRST OF ALL THANK THE HON TAM MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL FOR THEIR VIEWS AND MEDICINE.

YIU CHUNG OPINIONS

AND OTHER ON CHINESE

CHINESE MEDICINE HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY AND HAS SERVED MANY HERE AND ELSEWHERE FOR MANY MANY YEARS. INDEED, IT IS NOT JUST A FORM OF MEDICAL TREATMENT AND PREVENTIVE CARE, IT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF CHINESE CULTURE.

LOCALLY, CHINESE MEDICINE IS WIDELY USED BY THE PUBLIC: BY PRESCRIPTION BY CHINESE MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS, THROUGH SELF- MEDICATION AND FOR GENERAL HEALTH MAINTENANCE. INTERNATIONALLY, THERE IS GROWING INTEREST IN CHINESE MEDICINE AS A FORM OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE, BOTH IN TREATMENT OF DISEASES AND IN ACADEMIC OR CLINICAL RESEARCH.

ON

IN THE LIGHT OF PUBLIC CONCERN FOR THE PROPER USE AND GOOD PRACTICE OF CHINESE MEDICINE, GOVERNMENT APPOINTED THE WORKING PARTY CHINESE MEDICINE TO REVIEW EXISTING PRACTICES AND TO IDENTIFY THE WAY AHEAD. THE WORKING PARTY HAS, JUST LAST MONTH, COMPLETED PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON ITS INTERIM REPORT. WE NOW AWAIT WITH KEEN INTEREST ITS FURTHER DELIBERATIONS AND FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS,

CLEARLY, CHINESE MEDICINE HAS A ROLE IN MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE. THIS OUGHT TO BE RECOGNISED. I CAN SENSE CONSIDERABLE CONSENSUS ON THIS AMONGST MEMBERS IN TONIGHT'S DEBATE. THE QUESTION IS HOW. OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS SAFE PATIENT CARE. IN THE GENERAL INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO PROMOTE THE PROPER USE OF CHINESE MEDICINE, TO ENSURE STANDARDS AND TO ENHANCE THE STATUS OF THE PROFESSION.

I AM GRATEFUL TO MEMBERS FOR THEIR WIDE-RANGING VIEWS IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE THIS EVENING. THESE, TOGETHER WITH THE VIEWS AND COMMENTS ALREADY EXPRESSED BY THE PUBLIC AND INTERESTED PARTIES ON THE INTERIM REPORT, OFFER THE WORKING PARTY ON CHINESE MEDICINE MUCH FOOD FOR THOUGHT. WHEN THE WORKING PARTY'S FINAL REPORT COMES TO HAND, WE WILL CONSIDER ITS RECOMMENDATIONS CAREFULLY, WITH CLARITY OF OBJECTIVE AND PRAGMATISM IN APPROACH.

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