Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon, who is also the spokesman for the government’s top advisory Executive Council, announced yesterday that the government will set up a bureau-level entity tasked with the supervision of pharmaceutical products, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products.
Addressing a press conference at Government Headquarters yesterday, Cheong said that the government has finished drafting an administrative regulation (by-law) on the new bureau’s organisational structure and operation.
The new administrative regulation will take effect on January 1 next year, when the new bureau – officially named Pharmaceutical Supervision and Administration Bureau – will start operating.
Government-drafted by-laws, officially known as administrative regulations, do not require the legislature’s approval.
Cheong pointed out that currently it is the Pharmaceutical Department of the Health Bureau (SSM) which is tasked with supervising the provision of medicines, including traditional Chinese medicines.
Cheong said that the local government has decided to establish a new bureau specifically tasked with medicinal matters after considering the vast scope of supervision of pharmaceutical activities in Macau. In addition, according to Cheong, a new medicinal bureau is needed for the full implementation of a new law regulating pharmaceutical activities of traditional Chinese medicines and the registration of TCM products, which will come into force on January 1 next year. The new TCM bill was passed by lawmakers earlier this year.
According to Cheong, the new bureau will be headed by a director with the assistance of two deputy directors. The new bureau will have five departments and six divisions.
According to Cheong, the new bureau will be run by no more than 105 officials. Choi Peng Cheong, who heads the Health Bureau’s Pharmaceutical Department, said that all 62 officials of the department will be transferred to the new bureau. The remaining positions will be filled with officials transferred from other units under the Health Bureau and by recruiting new staff.
CDC upgraded to department
Meanwhile, Cheong also announced that the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Heath Bureau will be upgraded to a department-level unit on January 1 next year.
According to Cheong, the government has finished drafting a new administrative regulation to amend the Health Bureau’s existing organisational structure and operation to get the CDC upgrade off the ground.
Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon (centre), Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long (left) and Choi Peng Cheong, who heads SSM Pharmaceutical Department, addresses yesterday’s Executive Council press conference at Government Headquarters about next year’s establishment of the new Pharmaceutical Supervision and Administration Bureau. Photo courtesy of TDM
