Lawmakers call to increase the use of mainland-made drugs in HK

Two pro-establishment lawmakers called on authorities to increase the use of mainland-made medicine in Hong Kong, saying it can also help promote the country's outstanding medical achievements. 

The campaign came as the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong updated and added China, Brazil, South Korea, and Singapore to the list of reference countries for registration of pharmaceutical products. 

Yet, Bill Tang Ka-piu from the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions was not happy that China is only in the tier 2 category in this latest update. 

Drugs manufactured in tier 2 countries must be registered in their own countries and in at least one of 32 tier 1 countries, including the U.K., the U.S., and Japan, before they can be registered and sold in Hong Kong. 

At the same time, drugs made in tier 1 countries need only registration in any 2 of the 32 countries before they can be prescribed in Hong Kong. 

Tang continued that the update goes against chief executive John Lee Ka-chiu's maiden policy address, in which Lee proposed strengthening the cooperation between Hong Kong and China in medicine and healthcare. 

He also said some mainland-made drugs may not be able to be registered in certain countries because of international geo-political reasons and suspected the update discriminates against mainland-made drugs. 

He called on authorities to unify the two tiers and further promote using mainland-made drugs in public hospitals. 

Meanwhile, Joephy Chan Wing-yan, also from HKFTU, said mainland-made drugs cost less than those manufactured in Europe or the U.S., generally speaking. 

She noted Hong Kong's status as an international hub and the use of mainland-made drugs can help promote China's outstanding medical achievements. 

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