Press Releases
Government promotes Chinese medicine development on international platform (with photo)
The Government will continue to promote Chinese medicine development in Hong
Kong by formulating long-term strategies, harmonising Chinese medicine
standards, carrying out knowledge exchange with other countries and
enhancing co-operation with the Mainland.
The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, made the above remarks at
the World Health Organization (WHO)'s "High Level Meeting on the
Implementation of WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2014-2023" in Macau
today (October 28), outlining the Government's efforts in developing Chinese
medicine and sharing experience in formulating relevant policies.
The WHO first launched a traditional medicine strategy in 2002, providing a
clear direction for member states' work in traditional medicine. Today, an
updated strategy titled "WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2014-2023" was
officially launched by the Director-General of WHO, Dr Margaret Chan, in
Macau.
Hong Kong actively participated in the consultation and drafting of the
updated strategy. Since mid-2012 the Chinese Medicine Division of the
Department of Health, in the capacity of WHO's Collaborating Centre for
Traditional Medicine, has organised three working group meetings in Hong
Kong to work on the new strategy.
Dr Ko said the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy is a valuable tool for
healthcare providers, health service planners, policy makers, academics and
other stakeholders worldwide to better understand and address the issues of
regulation, integration and evaluation to harness the potential of
traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM), adding that the Government's
policy towards T&CM regulation and development is in line with the three
strategic objectives set out in the Strategy document.
"Firstly, we emphasise an 'evidence-based' approach in T&CM practice," he
said.
Dr Ko stressed that such an approach is adopted in research and
identification of safe traditional medicines and modalities, which can help
the Government better form a sensible and effective regulatory regime,
better realise the full potential of Chinese medicine and better integrate
it into the mainstream health system.
"Secondly, we promote the standardisation of Chinese medicines and the
harmonisation of such standards across different countries in a bid to
improve the quality, safety and efficacy of herbal medicines. To date, the
Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards project has developed standards
for about 200 Chinese herbal medicines.
"Another objective laid down in the WHO's strategy is to facilitate the
integration of T&CM into our existing healthcare system. Given that our
current public healthcare systems are conventionally based in Western
medicine, the development of integrative care appears to be feasible as well
as essential to facilitate the incorporation of T&CM into the existing
systems," Dr Ko said.
Despite challenges arising in the interface between Western and Chinese
medical practices, Dr Ko believed that with further studies and discussions,
Hong Kong can come up with a collaboration model so that the two medical
streams can work together to provide quality, individualised medical
treatment for patients.
"We established the Chinese Medicine Development Committee in February this
year, which will deliberate on a wide spectrum of issues, such as the
establishment of a Chinese medicine hospital, development of specialties in
Chinese medicine practice, promotion of collaboration between Western and
Chinese medicine, and come up with recommendations for the Government's
consideration," Dr Ko added.
Ends/Monday, October 28, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:12
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(Photo)