Press Releases

SFH on drug issues and vaccination

Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a stand-up media session at the Legislative Council Building today (March 31):

Reporter: You mention that the Review Committee is going to hold meeting on Friday. Can you give details? Are you just holding a meeting or are they going to start an investigation on Friday?

Secretary for Food and Health: I think we have to address some of the issues that we have raised, we have actually outlined them in the panel paper today. There are all 12 areas that we need to discuss. Of course, in one meeting, we cannot discuss everything. Perhaps, we should prioritise those areas and are able to form smaller working groups in order to follow up on those issues. I believe that with the broad representation from various stakeholders and also the participation from relevant government departments as well as the Hospital Authority, we are able to come up with very fruitful recommendations in a short time.

Reporter: (The vaccine)

Secretary for Food and Health: I think the Department of Health has discussed with various stakeholders including the private doctors prior to these current recommendations. Of course, we would like to see what new ideas the private sectors have right now, whether we can actually have their participation in future. But as I have explained earlier, at the moment, the infant vaccination programme (Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme) has been very effective through our Maternal and Child Health Centres. So I think this is the right way to do, to start with.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)


Ends/Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:00

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