The above control does not apply in the case of possession or use where the unregistered pharmaceutical product (UPP) or substance has been imported into Hong Kong (i) to be exported outside Hong Kong or (ii) by a licensed manufacturer for the purpose of manufacture or the compounding of pharmaceutical preparations. 138) (PPO), 'pharmaceutical products' must satisfy the criteria of safety, efficacy and quality, and must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong (PPB) before they can be sold, offered for sale, distributed or possessed for the purposes of sale, distribution or other use in Hong Kong. (4) of the measures in place to assist Hong Kong businessmen in tapping the business opportunities in the import/export trade of medicines on the Mainland?Īccording to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. (3) whether it will discuss with the authorities of the Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area) the introduction of measures to promote the trading of medicines in the Greater Bay Area, with a view to developing Hong Kong into a trading hub for medicines in the Greater Bay Area if so, of the details if not, the reasons for that and granting exemption to small-volume trading of medicines between enterprises and consumers), and shorten the time taken for vetting and approval of applications (i) that application is required for every instance of importation/exportation of medicines, (ii) that the application forms are available for sale only at specified locations, (iii) that application for re-export of unregistered medicines may only be made through the electronic system, and (iv) that the relevant arrangements have been designed on the basis of bulk trading of medicines), whether the Government will streamline such procedure (e.g. (2) given that the application procedure for an import licence/export licence for medicines is complicated and time-consuming (e.g. health supplements, over-the-counter drugs, prescribed drugs and dangerous drugs) and (b) whether the Mainland was the import/export destination as well as the relevant percentages

(1) of the respective quantities and total values of medicines (i) imported to and (ii) exported from Hong Kong in each of the past three years, and the year-on-year rates of change of such figures, and a breakdown of such figures by (a) type of medicines (i.e. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: However, the development of such business has been hindered by the complicated procedure involved in the import and export of medicines. It is learnt that in recent years, there has been a surge in the quantities of pharmaceutical products and medicines (collectively referred to as 'medicines') purchased by Mainland residents from Hong Kong's online traders.

Following is a question by the Hon Frankie Yick and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 9):

Drug export license