TNAG-1606-FCO40-22121-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 200

Question No 6

1

REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH & WELFARE TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY, 11 MARCH 1987

Question :

To guard against possible infection from Hepatitis "B" and AIDS viruses, can this Council be advised what advice or guidelines have been issued in regard to precautionary measures on the use of needles by acupuncturists and tattooists, and if no such advice or guidelines have been issued, whether Government has plans to do so in the near future?

Sir,

Advice on the risk of transmission of

Hepatitis B through the use of unsterilised contaminated

needles was included in publicity material used during a

campaign on the prevention of communicable diseases in 1983.

2.

So far as AIDS is concerned, the pamphlets

produced hitherto do not specifically refer to the use of

needles by acupuncturists and tattooists.

However, new

publicity material now being prepared will include

guidelines on how to prevent infection by the AIDS virus and

other micro-organisms when carrying out acupuncture,

tattooing, ear-piercing, shaving, manicure and other similar

procedures. It is the intention to distribute these

pamphlets as widely as possible, in addition to publicity

through other media such as posters and television.