Does Hong Kong’s pharmaceutical licensing system apply to veterinary medicines?

Yes, Hong Kong's pharmaceutical licensing system also applies to veterinary medicines, although the regulatory framework differs slightly from that for medicines for human use. Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, veterinary medicines containing scheduled poisons are also regarded as “pharmaceutical products”, and their manufacture, wholesale and retail require the relevant licences. For example, a company wholesaling veterinary medicines must hold a Wholesale Dealer Licence. At retail level, however, registered veterinarians are also entitled to certain exemptions when dispensing medicines to animals under their care. Hong Kong currently has no separate veterinary medicine registration system. However, under the Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Chemical Residues) Regulation, certain medicines used in food-producing animals are strictly regulated. Overall, veterinary medicines are regulated jointly by the Department of Health and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, but core licensing remains within the framework of the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.