In this summer, there are some twiggy movements by previous political figures in the arena of Hong Kong Politics. As a member of the Election Committee of the HKSAR, I was approached recently by some authoritative persons to give comments on the future election of the HKSAR Chief Executive in 2007. As a representative from the Medical sub-sector, I said my job is to reflect the wish of the majority of our Profession. I sincerely hope that those representing our Profession would do the same when the time comes.
Now, I would like to share with you a few issues that would certainly affect your practice.
As reported in the news media on 5 July 2006, we questioned the effectiveness of the proposed Medical Director of the ¡§HMO¡¨ (as defined in the position paper of the Bureau to the Health Service Panel of the LegCo on 10 July 2006) in discharging his duties according to our Professional Code and Conduct. We doubt the sincerity of the Bureau in regulating the ¡§HMOs¡¨ which are governed by tycoons nowadays. Even before the release of the Government consultation documents, we have the hint that the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food would propose to implement harsh conditions to regulate small solo practitioners in return. This came true when one out of the three proposals in the position paper is to enforce a licensing system on all private clinics or doctors¡¦ offices. We certainly believe that this could be implemented in
Such ¡§Free the thief, catch the victim¡¨s attitude adopted by the Bureau is indeed an insult to the public and our Profession. Unlike the tycoons, they certainly believe that we are timid enough to be bullied. Actually, the tycoons have lobbied with the Government on this issue and they have set up their own system of employing a Medical Director whom is dispensable anytime. The proposals do NOT help the society at all in curbing unethical and sub-standard medical care ¡§provided¡¨ by such ¡§HMOs¡¨ as pointed out by the Medical Council of Hong Kong in their press conference on 1st August 2006.
As reported in our last Bulletin, we have voiced out loud and clear our strong opposition of linking CME with the license to practise. We have once more voiced out our alternative suggestion to the Legislative Council, the Administration and the Medical Council the compulsory display of ¡§CME Certified¡¨ status by doctors so that patients can have their own choice. However, it seems that the Medical Council turned a blind ear and a blind eye to what have been deliberated in the meeting of Health Panel of the Legislative Council on 18 April 2006. How do they expect the Legislative Councilors to conclude from their insincere consultation with the medical profession with the pre-condition of Mandatory CME linking with the license to practise when 70% of the Legislative Council members in the Health Panel questioned the legality and usefulness of applying such harsh condition to practice of medical practitioners. We shall monitor the progress within and without the Medical Council and report to you all when appropriate.
We have been talking with the Director of Health for over a year on the recent phenomenon that the local pharmaceutical firms are using their limited ¡§quota¡¨ to manufacture and distribute codeine containing cough mixtures and tablets to the dispensaries more than to the private doctors. The reason is obvious, they can derive a lot more profit from dealing with dispensaries rather than with us, private doctors. The difference in the profit may be up to 20 to 30 times. However, this kind of practice is perpetuating the cough drug abuse by youngsters as reported in Action Committee Against Narcotics and in the news media. We can read reports in the newspaper now and then that the boss of the dispensaries are keeping illegally a lot of cough products for sale to the public just for profit and without any medical indications. This is totally ridiculous and dangerous to the society. However, one reply we received from the Director of Health is we doctors should refrain from prescribing too much and too many addicting drugs like codeine containing cough products to patients and we should instead use other alternatives in treating cough to prevent abuse. How comes that he does not warn the dispensaries or the Pharmacists too? Does he think that the dispensaries or the Pharmacists are doing the right job now?
We have recently sent a formal complaint letter to the Department of Health on this issue. Please refer to page xx of this Bulletin for details. Let¡¦s see if Director of Health would change his mind this time.
Have a nice summer holiday!
Dr. Yeung Chiu Fat Henry