Personal care products and cosmetics that fall within the definition of “pharmaceutical products” under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) (PPO) must comply with the requirements for safety, quality, and efficacy, and must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board before they can be legally marketed in Hong Kong.

There is no definitive list of substances that qualify a product as a pharmaceutical product (PP). However, in assessing whether a product falls under this category, it is helpful to refer to substances listed under Heading “A” of the Poisons List in the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138 sub. leg. A), which are primarily intended for medicinal use.