How are pharmacists in Hong Kong registered and regulated, and what is their professional role?

Pharmacists in Hong Kong are subject to a strict professional registration system administered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB). To become a registered pharmacist, an applicant must complete a PPB-recognised bachelor’s degree or higher qualification in pharmacy (currently offered by the University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong), complete one year of practical training and pass the registration examination conducted by the PPB. Pharmacists who graduated overseas must undergo an assessment of their qualifications and pass a professional qualification examination. Once registered, pharmacists’ names are entered in a public register. Their professional role is to act as the final safeguard in the use of medicines. Their duties include checking the legality and appropriateness of doctors’ prescriptions, dispensing medicines accurately, advising and counselling patients on medicine use, managing pharmacy stock and supervising the sale of medicines. They are essential to ensuring that medicines used by the public are safe, effective and economical.