Department of Health Increases Inspections of Pharmacies Ahead of Labour Day Golden Week in Hong Kong

DH steps up enforcement ahead of Mainland's Labour Day Golden Week to combat illegal use of pharmacy logos/titles and illegal sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products

With the Mainland's Labour Day Golden Week approaching, the Department of Health (DH) today (April 28) announced that it will further step up inspections of Authorized Sellers of Poisons (ASPs), commonly known as pharmacies, Listed Sellers of Poisons (LSPs), commonly known as medicine companies, and retailers of Chinese herbal medicines throughout Hong Kong, focusing on tourist areas to monitor their compliance with relevant laws and codes of practice. These inspections form part of the DH's routine year-round enforcement efforts. In the first quarter of 2026, around 4 500 such inspections were conducted. In response to the increased visitor numbers and business activities during the Mainland's Labour Day Golden Week, the DH will step up inspections to crack down on any violations.

Stepping up efforts to crack down on illegal use of pharmacy logo

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To address the illegal use of pharmacy logos and titles by shops, the DH reminded the public, including tourists, that they can use the pharmacy logo (see Annex 1) to verify whether a shop is a registered pharmacy when purchasing medicines in Hong Kong.

According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) (the Ordinance), LSPs can only conduct the retail business of selling poisons listed in Part 2 of the Poisons List and sell only common drugs, such as cold and flu medicines. Such vendors do not have a registered duty pharmacist in the shop and cannot use the pharmacy logo or title.Displaying a pharmacy logo in the prescribed form, or a logo resembling the prescribed form, at premises other than a registered pharmacy, or using the Chinese term "" or terms such as "pharmacy", "dispensary" or "drugstore" in connection with any business engaged in the retail sale of poisons, constitutes an offence. Furthermore, illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products or Part 1 poisons, or illegal sale of Part 2 poisons, is a criminal offence. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, seven limited companies and one retail proprietor, none of which were registered pharmacies, were convicted of displaying logos on their premises that resembled the pharmacy logo in the prescribed form. They were fined amounts ranging from $3,500 to $32,000.During the same period, 24 limited companies and five individuals were convicted of illegal sale and/or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products. They were fined amounts ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 and sentenced to two months' imprisonment.

Clamping down on illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and Chinese herbal medicines

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To tackle the illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products, Part 1 poisons, including anti-obesity drugs, and Chinese herbal medicines, the DH has been actively gathering intelligence through various channels (including online sales platforms, instant messaging apps, and social media), conducting proactive inspections and enforcing the law rigorously. Joint operations with relevant law enforcement departments will also be conducted when necessary.

A proprietor of a beauty parlour was convicted by the court for selling and possessing Part 1 poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products, which involved an anti-obesity medicine containing liraglutide, and was sentenced on April 20 to a 120-hour Community Service Order for each charge, to be served concurrently. Over the past month, the DH took enforcement actions against the premises of two unlicensed medicine shops for the illegal use of pharmacy logos, the illegal possession of Part 1 Poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products, as well as the illegal sale of Part 2 Poisons, and against three ASPs for the illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and failing to store Part 1 Poisons in a locked receptacle, among others. During the operation, over 100 items of controlled drugs were seized from the premises.

In addition, between April 2025 and March 2026, two cases involving the illegal sale or possession of Chinese herbal medicines listed in Schedule 2 of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549) were convicted by the court.

The DH reminded the public that illegal sale of medicines controlled under the Ordinance, regardless of the sales channel, including online sales platforms, instant messaging applications or social media, incurs criminal liability. Members of the public should not risk breaking the law.

Points to note when purchasing medicines

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The DH remindedmembers of the public that all registered pharmaceutical products and proprietary Chinese medicines carry a Hong Kong registration number on their packaging. Registered pharmaceutical products are labelled with a number in the format of "HK-XXXXX", while registered proprietary Chinese medicines follow the format "HKC-XXXXX" (where "XXXXX" is a five-digit number). The safety, quality and efficacy of unregistered pharmaceutical products and unregistered proprietary Chinese medicines are not guaranteed. Members of the public should not self-purchaseor consume products of doubtful composition or from unknown sources. Self-purchasing controlled medicines (including anti-obesity drugs such as liraglutide) poses health risks. Besides the lack of a doctor's assessment of an individual's health condition, it is difficult to ascertain the legitimate source of the drugs. It is also impossible to know whether the drugs were properly stored during transportation (especially for drugs requiring cold-chain storage). This leaves their safety, quality and efficacy unguaranteed. Anti-obesity medicines containing liraglutide should be used under a doctor's direction and must be supplied on the premises of a pharmacy under the supervision of a registered pharmacist upon a doctor's prescription.

To help the public identify registered pharmacies, the DH has formulated a label (Annex 2) for identification of ASPs. The labels have been sent to each registered pharmacy for display at a conspicuous place on their premises. Consumers can obtain information on the registered pharmacy by scanning the QR code on the label displayed in the pharmacy.

Members of the public and tourists can also download the eHealth app from the website (app.ehealth.gov.hk) and use the "Licence Scanner" on its homepage to scan the QR code displayed at the pharmacy. For registered pharmacies, the message "This is a QR Code issued for licensed pharmacy" will be shown, alongside details of that particular registered pharmacy. For retailers of Chinese Herbal Medicines, licence holders must display their licence, which bears a QR code, at a conspicuous position in their business premises. Members of the public can scan the QR code to access the website of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (the Council) and view the relevant licence information.<br /

Members of the public can also visit thewebsiteof the Drug Office of the DH for names and addresses of all licensees including ASPs. For retailers of Chinese herbal medicines, members of the public can visit the website of the Council for names and addresses of all retailers of Chinese herbal medicines.

In addition, to help Mainland visitors distinguish pharmacies in Hong Kong, the DH has provided detailed information on its official WeChat account regarding important points to note when purchasing medicines in Hong Kong.

For more information on the safety of buying and safe use of medicines, please visit the website of the DH's Drug Office.

With the Mainland's Labour Day Golden Week approaching, the Department of Health (DH) will step up inspections of pharmacies, medicine companies and retailers of Chinese herbal medicines throughout Hong Kong, focusing on tourist areas to monitor their compliance with relevant laws and codes of practice. Photo shows DH staff members conducting inspections at a pharmacy. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Chief Executive attends groundbreaking ceremony for Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Education and Research Complex

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, together with the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Zhou Ji; the Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR, Mr Li Yongsheng; the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; and the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Medical Education and Research Complex today (April 28), marking a new phase in the establishment of the third medical school.

Located in the HKUST's Clear Water Bay campus, the Medical Education and Research Complex is one of the core facilities of the new medical school. It is expected to be completed by mid-2028 to admit the first cohort of students in the same year, and it will serve as an interim campus before the permanent campus in the Northern Metropolis is completed. The Government has also reserved a site in Ngau Tam Mei in the Northern Metropolis for the permanent campus of the new medical school, and for the development of an integrated medical teaching and research hospital. The Government will reserve resources for this purpose and fully support the early commencement of construction works.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Lee said that the National 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong in becoming an international hub for high-calibre talent, and that a new medical school will help turn that vision into reality, attracting and training top talent in healthcare and higher education. He added that, equally important, the new medical school will ensure better quality, greater efficiency and higher capacity in local healthcare and medical services. He also noted that HKUST's medical school will develop differently from the two existing ones, creating synergy, driving innovation, generating multiplier effects, and raising the city's medical-education capabilities.

Mr Lee said that the Government's goal is to ensure that the new medical school and its teaching hospital become a key pillar of Hong Kong's medical teaching and service system, and that the Government is backing this commitment with substantial resources. Today's groundbreaking of the HKUST Medical Education and Research Complex is a tangible step forward, he said, and it will support the new medical school's phased development for years to come.

Professor Lo said, "The HKSAR Government fully supports the HKUST in actively advancing the preparatory work for the new medical school. The Task Group on New Medical School has set up three working groups. Relevant government departments and experienced experts in related fields have been invited to join the working groups to offer advice and support to the HKUST on areas such as curriculum development and financial arrangements of the new medical school. The three working groups have already held their first meetings to follow up with every effort on all aspects of the work for establishing the new medical school. They will report the progress to the Task Group on a regular basis to ensure the preparatory process is smooth and on track. I would like to express my gratitude in particular to the Medical Council of Hong Kong for swiftly setting up the accreditation committee to start the preparatory work for programme accreditation, with a view to ensuring the upcoming four-year graduate-entry programme offered by the new medical school will meet the quality and standards of medical education in Hong Kong."

Dr Choi said, "The establishment of the new medical school is a significant milestone in the development of Hong Kong's higher education. It will not only effectively expand capacity and enhance quality of medical education, but also further strengthen and enhance Hong Kong's position as an international post-secondary education hub. The Government will continue to provide full support to the HKUST in establishing the new medical school and work hand-in-hand with the University to advance this strategically important project. We look forward to the new medical school complementing the existing two medical schools in a synergistic manner, creating a more comprehensive and diverse medical education ecosystem, and nurturing more outstanding medical talent with global vision, humanistic care, and innovative thinking. Through the establishment of the new medical school, Hong Kong will further strengthen its competitive edge in international higher education and medical training, attracting more outstanding academics, students, and research projects. Members of the Task Group will continue to work closely together to ensure the high-quality, high-standard development of the new medical school, with a view to injecting strong momentum into the development of the Northern Metropolis University Town and complementing with the talent backing for our country and Hong Kong."

In November last year, the Chief Executive in Council approved the establishment of the third medical school and gave approval-in-principle for the new medical school to be established by the HKUST, which shall aim to admit the first cohort of 50 students in the 2028/29 academic year.

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Medical Education and Research Complex today (April 28). Photo shows Mr Lee (centre); the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zhou Ji (fourth left); Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Li Yongsheng (second left); the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (third right); the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin (first left); the Council Chairman of the HKUST, Professor Harry Shum (fourth right); the President of the HKUST, Professor Nancy Ip (third left), and other guests inspecting the construction site. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Medical Education and Research Complex today (April 28). Photo shows (from left) the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin; the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zhou Ji; Mr Lee; Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Li Yongsheng; the Council Chairman of the HKUST, Professor Harry Shum; and the President of the HKUST, Professor Nancy Ip, officiating at the plaque unveiling ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Medical Education and Research Complex today (April 28). Photo shows Mr Lee (centre); the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zhou Ji (fourth left); Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Li Yongsheng (fourth right); the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (third left); the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin (second left); the Council Chairman of the HKUST, Professor Harry Shum (third right); the President of the HKUST, Professor Nancy Ip (second right), and other guests officiating at the ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, speaks at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Education and Research Complex today (April 28). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases