COVER STORY • 封面專題 15 2024 UMAGAZINE 30 • 澳大新語 in Chinese medicinal ingredients—was accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS). BBy September 2024, 118 Chinese medicine testing services provided by MCTCM had passed CNAS’s expanded and supervisory assessments. Prof Li says, ‘Our accredited testing services now basically cover the standards in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and include a range of chemical and microbiological tests. In terms of chemical analyses, we test for heavy metals, hazardous elements, sulphur dioxide residues, aflatoxins, and 33 banned pesticides. We are also equipped to identify and quantify content levels. For microbiological testing, our parameters include microbial limits and control strains.’ Prof Li adds that another goal of the centre is to facilitate the application of pharmaceutical research outcomes in Macao. ‘The centre is dedicated to enhancing its professional influence and positioning Macao as a leader in establishing quality standards for Chinese medicine. By developing a testing and certification industry for Chinese medicine with Macao characteristics—where quality is the core focus, standards provide guidance, testing serves as a key tool, and certification is the ultimate goal—our centre aims to ensure rigorous quality assurance for products that are developed, approved, and certified in Macao.’ Advancing Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences In 2023, the permanent secretariat of the Western Pacific Regional Forum for the Harmonization of Herbal Medicines was established at UM. The secretariat is committed to building a service platform for economic and trade cooperation in the Chinese medicine industry, as well as promoting research and related work for establishing regional and international standards for herbal products and developing technical requirements for product registration, in order to promote Macao’s role as a key coordinator in the global development of Chinese medicine. Also in 2023, UM established the Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences (CPRS). The centre is dedicated to building a sustainable platform to strengthen regulatory capabilities for healthcare products in Macao and across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Prof Hu Yuanjia, director of CPRS, says that the centre’s key functions include assisting the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of Macao with technical evaluations of proprietary Chinese medicines and medical devices; conducting research on regulatory science, policy, and legal frameworks; developing new regulatory tools, standards, and methods for drug evaluation and regulatory decision-making; and undertaking government and industry research projects. The centre is also dedicated to cultivating talent in regulatory science and organising relevant training and exchange programmes. Moreover, CPRS actively promotes collaboration. The centre recently hosted the 1st Macau International Forum on Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science— High-Quality Development of Chinese Medicines: Theory and Practice. The forum brought together 澳大藥品監管科學研究中心承辦首屆「澳門藥品監管科學國際論壇—中藥高質量發展：理論與實踐」 The UM Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences hosted the 1st Macau International Forum on Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science—HighQuality Development of Chinese Medicines: Theory and Practice
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