New council to regulate traditional Chinese medicine
A regulatory body to take up the overall administration of traditional Chinese medicine and its practitioners is likely to be set up next year, health chiefs said yesterday.
The body, tentatively known as the Traditional Chinese Medicine Council, is being established to ensure the implementation of regulatory legislation, said Deputy Secretary for Health and Welfare Gregory Leung Wing-lup.
It is proposed that two committees be set up under the council to regulate the practitioners and the medicines. 'We hope legislation for the establishment of the council could be introduced in the 1998-99 legislative session,' Mr Leung said.
A consultation paper on the development of traditional Chinese medicine was released by the Health and Welfare Bureau yesterday.
The document said a registration system would be established together with an exam.
A disciplinary system would be introduced to ensure the professional conduct of registered practitioners. On the regulation of medicines, priority would be given to control of 31 types of toxic herbs and proprietary Chinese medicines.
