Quality Certification Scheme for Chinese Medicine Industry

1. Management: Institute for the Advancement of Chinese Medicine (IACM) Ltd. Testing Laboratories: Chinese Materia Medica Laboratories, School of Chinese Medicine ISO Laboratories, RDD, School of Chinese Medicine Chemical Testing Services/Advanced Instrumentation Laboratory, Faculty of Science Dioxin Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Science Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Biology

2. Objectives • Develop a widely recognised quality certification scheme in Chinese Medicine industry • Foster the development of CM industry by enhancing the quality of products • Acknowledge quality products and promote the concept of quality in local and overseas markets

3. Opportunities for HKCMAC • Increasing public health concern of the safety of CM • Rising status of CM after SARS • Ongoing problematic food issues in China and Hong Kong also alarms the general public • Growing size of the CM & herbs industry as well as the diversity of products

4. Benefits to All Sectors I • Consumers & Tourists • more confidence with the products which are certified with a recognised standards • identify tested products and make better choices

5. Benefits to All Sectors II • Companies and Manufacturers • Increase sales volume • Possess enhanced company image • Gain competitive advantage over non-certified products • Compete more effectively in the world market • Reduce barriers to international CM trade • Be motivated to provide “quality” products and ensure CM quality

6. Benefits to All Sectors IACM • RDD/SCM • Chemical Testing Services/Advanced • Instrumentation Lab., Faculty of Science • - Dioxin Analysis Lab., Faculty of Science • - Microbiology Lab., Dept. of Biology • More confidence • Better choice Consumers & Tourists • - Increase sales volume • - Possess company image • Gain competitive advantage • over non-certified products • Compete more effectively in • the world market • Reduce barriers to • international CM trade • Be motivated to provide “quality” • products and ensure CM quality Companies & Manufacturers

7. Visual & Taste authentication • Macroscopic and Microscopic authentication • DNA and Chemical authentication • Pesticide Residues • Heavy Metals and Toxic Elements Testing • Microbiological Examination • Qualitative Analysis for consistency • Quantitative Analysis for consistency

8. Mechanism • Raw CM • Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) inspection • Test the Raw CM, if passed the quality evaluation, manufacturers will be granted “CMA-Mark” licenses • Batch-wise testing are performed to ensure that they continuously maintain quality standard • “CMA-Mark” licensed companies are entitled to use the “CMA-Mark” logo for marketing purpose GAP – Raw CM

9. Mechanism • Proprietary CM (中成藥) • Products are required to go through the quality test • Once companies have passed the quality evaluation, they will be granted “CMA-Mark” licenses • Batch-wise testing are performed to ensure that they continuously maintain their quality standards • “CMA-Mark” licensed companies are entitled to use the “CMA-Mark” logo for marketing purpose PCM Product on particular product batch

10. Mechanism • Chinese Medicine Dried Herbs (中藥材) • Test only the packed CM Herbs that bear lot/batch/bar code at an initial stage • “CMA-Mark” will be granted for products which passed the quality test • “CMA-Mark” licensed products are entitled to use the “CMA-Mark” logo for marketing purpose CMH on particular batch

11. Mechanism • Bulk Pack Chinese Medicine Dried Herbs (散裝藥材) • Will be developed in later stage, as there is no batch number to identify the products • Will persuade the dealer to pack the products in bulk for selling