The Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office (CMRO) of the Department of Health entered into 15th year of service when it was designated as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine in 2012. Our service is tasked with multiple functions, including regulation, health promotion, development of Chinese medicine standards and international liaison. Throughout the years, CMRO has expanded from a small unit to one with multi-disciplinary staff. We are privileged to have a team of dedicated staff members who have contributed to safeguarding public health, as well as promoting traditional Chinese medicine in both the local community and the international arena.
Acknowledging the distinctive features of trade practice and long history of use of traditional Chinese medicine in our locality, we have adopted a stepwise approach in the regulation of Chinese medicines since the enactment of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance in July 1999. After the legal requirements for labels and package inserts of proprietary Chinese medicines have come into effect since December 2011, we are fully equipped with a comprehensive legal framework to protect our people’s health. To provide safety and quality reference standards for Chinese medicines in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards project was launched in 2002.
The designation of CMRO as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine (the Collaborating Centre) at this point in time is certainly a recognition of our hard work in the field. With top level commitment, concerted effort from various stakeholders, many years of valuable experience and extensive networks established, our Collaborating Centre would continue to strive for excellence in assuming a bridging role to promote traditional medicine both regionally and internationally.