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■政府應嚴格執行中成藥註冊制度，提高本港中成藥的品質，建立消費者的信心。 資料圖片
《中醫藥條例》本月初正式生效。有業界批評條例實施太倉促，在社會上引起混亂，要求當局延後生效日期。全面落實中成藥註冊制度，有利加強本港中藥品質和安全的保障。不過，推行中藥條例的配套措施跟不上，對消費者造成不便。當局應要求業界盡快回收未註冊的藥品、在已註冊的藥品包裝上提供註冊編號，以及列明已註冊藥品的名單供市民查閱，並加快落實中成藥註冊標籤制，為市民提供清晰的註冊中成藥訊息，避免引起混亂。
中成藥代理商及生產商指條例推行倉促，理由並不充分。中成藥註冊於2003年已開始實施，至今衛生署共接獲1.6萬多宗中成藥註冊申請，其中批准了逾1.1萬宗的註冊申請。未獲正式註冊的中成藥，仍可透過申請過渡性註冊繼續銷售。中成藥代理商及生產商有藥品未進行註冊，主要是基於付出註冊費會增加成本的考慮。本港嚴格執行中成藥註冊制度，能夠提高中成藥品質的可靠性，建立消費者的信心。中成藥代理商及生產商為建立品牌和長遠利益打算，應該積極參與中成藥註冊制。此外，為避免市民購買未註冊的中成藥而誤墮法網，當局應敦促業界將所有未註冊的藥品下架、回收，避免在市場銷售，並提醒消費者必須購買註冊中成藥。
Supporting measures necessary for enforcement of Chinese Medicine Ordinance
The Chinese Medicine Ordinance has already come into force officially starting the beginning of this month. Some operators in the industry criticized the policy, saying that the implementation was too hasty and would create confusions in society. They also asked the authorities to postpone the enforcement of the ordinance to a later date. In fact, a full-scale implementation of the proprietary Chinese medicine registration system greatly helps to better ensure the quality and safety of Chinese medicines in Hong Kong. However, if supporting measures are not in place when the ordinance is enforced, there will be a lot of inconveniences for consumers. The authorities should ask operators in the industry to promptly recall unregistered medicines and to clearly provide the registration numbers on the packaging of registered products. In addition, the authorities ought to prepare a list of registered medicines for public reference and speed up the implementation of the proprietary Chinese medicine labeling system. Through these measures, the citizens will be able to get clear information of registered proprietary Chinese medicines, and confusions can be eliminated.
Dealers and manufacturers of proprietary Chinese medicines have alleged that the enforcement of the ordinance was too hasty but their claims are not well grounded. The registration of proprietary Chinese medicine started in as early as 2003 and the Health Department has since received over 16,000 applications for registration. More than 11,000 of these applications have been approved. Chinese medicine products that were yet to receive approval could still be sold in the market by applying for transitional registration. Dealers and manufacturers do not obtain registration for their products mainly because of the increased cost incurred by the registration fee. Strict enforcement of the proprietary Chinese medicine registration system enhances the reliability of Chinese medicine products and establishes consumer confidence. Dealers and manufacturers should take into account brand building and long-term benefits; and actively take part in the registration system. On the other hand, in order to prevent consumers from breaking the law unknowingly by purchasing unregistered Chinese medicine products, the authorities should urge the industry to withdraw or recall all unregistered products from the market and remind consumers to purchase only proprietary Chinese medicines which have been registered. ■Translation by 開明 chi.ming818@gmail.com
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