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Health
lives in Hong Kong in 2013. In 2013, about 108,000 women registered under the DH's cervical screening programme for women aged between 25 and 64 underwent cervical screening.
Health Regulatory Activities
Healthcare Professionals
As at end-2013, 13,203 doctors, 2,310 dentists, 9,519 Chinese medicine practitioners (CMPs) (including both listed and registered CMPs), 45,846 nurses (including both registered and enrolled nurses), 4,597 midwives, 2,285 pharmacists, 180 chiropractors, 2,523 physiotherapists, 1,580 occupational therapists, 3,123 medical laboratory technologists, 2,111 optometrists, 1,984 radiographers and 367 dental hygienists were registered in Hong Kong.
Western Medicines
Western medicines in Hong Kong are regulated under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance. Acting on the authority of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, the DH evaluates and approves applications for the registration of pharmaceutical products, issues licences to drug manufacturers, importers and exporters, wholesalers and retailers, and takes action against the illegal sale of controlled drugs. Regulatory controls on poisons, antibiotics and dangerous drugs for medicinal use are also enforced by the DH.
In 2013, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board approved 4,506 applications for registration of pharmaceutical products and as at year-end, 18,912 pharmaceutical products were registered in Hong Kong.
In 2009, a committee set up by the government to review the regulation of pharmaceutical products issued a report putting forward 75 recommendations. Various recommendations relating to the DH have been implemented, including increasing the requirement for microbiological monitoring in the process of drug manufacturing by local drug manufacturers, stepping up inspections of local drug traders, providing additional information on the type of sales restriction (eg prescription only medicine) for each registered pharmaceutical product and providing updated information on the safe use of drugs on the website of the DH's Drug Office. The DH is following up with the implementation of the remaining recommendations, including those that involve legislative amendments.
Chinese Medicines
Chinese medicines are regulated under the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, which requires any person engaged in the retail or wholesale of Chinese herbal medicines or the manufacture or wholesale of proprietary Chinese medicines to obtain a licence. Licensed manufacturers may apply for a Certificate for Manufacturer, certifying that they follow the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice in the manufacture and quality control of proprietary Chinese medicines. The Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (CMCHK) is the statutory body responsible for devising and implementing regulatory measures for Chinese medicines. All proprietary Chinese medicines must be registered before they can be sold, imported or possessed in Hong Kong. As a transitional arrangement, proprietary Chinese medicines manufactured or on sale on 1 March 1999 are eligible for a transitional registration status upon submission of acceptable basic test reports. By the end of 2013, there were 6,776 licensed
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