Government establishes Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint Subcommittee

     The Government announced today (August 30) the establishment of the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint Subcommittee (CMDBSC) under the Chinese Medicine Development Committee (CMDC) with a view to gathering a wider spectrum of views in formulating the Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint.  

     The CMDBSC is tasked to make recommendations to the CMDC on concrete strategies for the overall development of Chinese medicine (CM), as well as the short, medium and long-term objectives and respective feasible initiatives for the long-term planning. Various working groups will be set up under the CMDBSC to enable more focused discussions on issues in different areas.

     The CMDBSC is chaired by the Commissioner for Chinese Medicine Development of the Health Bureau (HHB). Members comprise different stakeholders from the CM sector and related sectors, with a view to fully incorporating the views of different sectors and addressing their concerns during the formulation of the Blueprint. Members of the CMDBSC include ex-officio members, Chairmen of the Chinese Medicine Practice Subcommittee (CMPSC) and Chinese Medicines Industry Subcommittee (CMISC) under the CMDC, representatives from the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) and the schools of Chinese Medicine of three local universities, and persons from the fields of CM practice, CM drugs, other healthcare professions, testing, research and development, social services and education, etc.

     The two-year tenure of the CMDBSC will take effect from September 1, 2024. The membership list is as follows:

Chairman
———–
Commissioner for Chinese Medicine Development (Dr Vincent Chung Chi-ho)

Non-official members
——————–
Chairman of the CMPSC (Professor Chan Wing-kwong) (Note 1)
Chairman of the CMISC (Mr Tommy Li Ying-sang) (Note 1)
Convener of the Working Group on the Development of Chinese Medicine Services (Dr Liong Ching) (Note 2)
Convener of the Working Group on the Development of Chinese Medicine Industry and Cultural Popularisation (Professor Dawn Au Ching-tung) (Note 2)
Convener of the Working Group on the Development of Chinese Medicine Profession and Talent Cultivation (Professor Kenny Chung Kiu-lam) (Note 2)
Representative of the CMHHK (Hospital Chief Executive, Professor Bian Zhaoxiang)
Representative of the School of Chinese Medicine of the Hong Kong Baptist University (Professor Li Min)
Representative of the School of Chinese Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Dr Sarah Chan Sze-nga)
Representative of the School of Chinese Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (Professor Shen Jiangang)
Professor Chair Sek-ying
Mr Chan Lin-chuen
Ms Jojo Chan Wing-yin
Mr Abraham Chan Yu-ling
Mr Chua Hoi-wai
Mr Koo Hoi-lun
Dr Kwok Tsz-kin
Mr Dominic Lam Chun-hong
Professor Cindy Lam Lo-kuen
Professor Simon Lee Ming-yuen
Professor Gilberto Leung Ka-kit
Professor Hector Tsang Wing-hong
Dr Wong Hung-ngan
Mr Nicholas Wong Lup-hoi

Ex-officio Members
——————–
Representative from the HHB
Representative from the Department of Health
Representative from the Hospital Authority

     The Chief Executive, in his 2023 Policy Address, put forward a number of policy initiatives in relation to the development of CM, including formulating in collaboration with the CM sector a Blueprint which will map out the vision and strategies for the future development of the CM sector in Hong Kong. The Blueprint, expected for release in 2025, covers a number of major areas and involves different stakeholders within and outside the CM sector, including but not limited to service development, talent training, professional development, industry development, scientific research and innovation, public education and cultural inheritance. 

     The Chinese Medicine Unit (CMU) of the HHB has commenced a series of stakeholder engagements since last September, including introducing to relevant advisory committees the direction in formulating the Blueprint and organising six CM development exchange sessions for stakeholders to express their views on different topics. Since the Commissioner for Chinese Medicine Development assumed office in late May, the CMU has been maintaining close contact with local, Mainland and international stakeholders through different platforms and means, including participating in or organising various activities, meetings and exchange sessions to gain an in-depth understanding of the current situation of the CM sector and interact with stakeholders, and to explore the feasibility of different development directions and initiatives.

     The CMDBSC is one of the subcommittees under the CMDC which was established in 2013 and chaired by the Secretary for Health. The CMDC drives the direction and long-term strategies for the future development of CM in Hong Kong by providing recommendations to the Government on four key areas, namely the development of CM services, personnel training and professional development, scientific research and development, and development of the CM drug industry (including CM drug testing).

Note 1: The CMPSC and the CMISC are the standing subcommittees under the CMDC.
Note 2: The Working Group on the Development of Chinese Medicine Services, the Working Group on the Development of Chinese Medicine Industry and Cultural Popularisation, and the Working Group on the Development of Chinese Medicine Profession and Talent Cultivation are the working groups under the CMDBSC.