Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office

Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards

This picture demonstrates page 1 of pamphlet of Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, please read following paragraphs for details.

Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards

This picture demonstrates page 2 of pamphlet of Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, please read following paragraphs for details.

What are Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS)?

With the global increase use of herbal medicines and Chinese medicines, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government also places special importance on ensuring the quality and safety of the Chinese Materia Medica (CMM).

The Department of Health (DH) launched the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica (HKCMM) Project in 2002 with the purpose of setting standards, in terms of safety and quality, for CMM which are commonly used in Hong Kong. The HKCMM Standards Project covered the CMM which are commonly used in the community, with high economic value in the local market and with international concern over their safety and quality, and priority will be given to those listed in the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549).

Content of the HKCMM Standards

The content of the HKCMM Standards consists of the names, source, description, identification, tests, extractives, assay and chemical structure of reference substances of each CMM.

This picture demonstrates page 3 of pamphlet of Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, please read following paragraphs for details.

Aims

The aims of development of HKCMM Standards are to ensure the safety and quality of CMM through providing reference standards to Chinese medicine industry, to promote the research on Chinese medicines, and to expedite the modernization and internationalization of Chinese medicines as well as to facilitate the global trade of Chinese medicines.

Application of HKCMM Standards

As reference standards by Chinese medicine industry:

The HKCMM Standards can be used by the Chinese medicine industry as reference standards of safety and quality of CMM. For example, manufacturers in proprietary Chinese medicines can employ the HKCMM Standards as a guide for quality control of raw materials and Chinese medicines traders can make reference to the HKCMM Standards for procurement of CMM.

As standards for certification:

The HKCMM Standards provide a reliable foundation for the testing and certification industry to facilitate its development of testing services on CMM. The Hong Kong Accreditation Service has already launched the accreditation service to laboratories performing CMM testing and identification by microscopic examination, chemical and physicochemical testings according to the HKCMM Standards.

The Hong Kong Productivity Council is establishing a Product Certification Scheme for CMM based on the HKCMM Standards, which is supported by the Panel on Promoting Testing and Certification Services in Chinese Medicine Trade under the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification.

This picture demonstrates page 4 of pamphlet of Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, please read following paragraphs for details.

Benefits of HKCMM Standards

For public:

Improve the quality and safety of CMM available in the market and protect public health.

For Chinese medicine industry:

Provide simple and effective testing methods and reference standards for CMM, so that traders can identify products with good quality. They also strengthen confidence of international buyers and consumers, thereby facilitating trading of Chinese medicines.

For scientific research institutions:

Encourage the research on Chinese medicines and training of expertise in Chinese medicines research.

For testing and certification industry:

Provide a set of comprehensive, reliable and internationally recognized standards of CMM, and promote development of the industry.

For overseas regulatory authorities:

Serve as an international standard for formulating policies on Chinese medicines.

This picture demonstrates page 5 of pamphlet of Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, please read following paragraphs for details.

Publicity

DH organises briefing sessions for laboratories and stakeholders in the Chinese medicine sector whenever new publication of HKCMM Standards was released. All volumes of HKCMMS are accessible at the website of the Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office, DH.

In addition, DH will keep overseas regulatory authorities, including the International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines, Western Pacific Regional Forum for the Harmonization of Herbal Medicine etc, informed of the progress of the HKCMM Standards Project through various channel. This contributes to harmonization of the standards in international arena.

This picture demonstrates page 6 of pamphlet of Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards, please read following paragraphs for details.

Volumes of HKCMMS are available for download at

http://www.cmd.gov.hk/html/eng/health_info/publication.html

 

For more information, please visit the following website

Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office, Department of Health

http://www.cmd.gov.hk

Inquiry

Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards Office, Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office

Address

2/F, Public Health Laboratory Centre, 382 Nam Cheong Street, Kowloon