The opening of Hong Kong Science Park Solar Energy Technology Support Centre and DuPont Apollo Global Thin Film Photovoltaic R&D Centre

The opening was held on 20 March 2009. It is the first major technology co-operation project to establish a solar energy research and industrial platform in collaboration with Du Pont Apollo Ltd (a subsidiary of the US-based multinational chemicals and healthcare company DuPont) in Hong Kong Science Park. This joint initiative is a strategic collaboration under the “Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle” which was set up in 2007 by the HKSAR and Shenzhen Municipal Governments.

Officiated by the Chief Executive of HKSAR, The Honourable Mr. Donald Tsang, and the Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr. Xu Zongheng, the opening ceremony was attended by distinguished officials from Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Mr. Charles O. Holliday, Jr, Chairman of DuPont, joined the ceremony and shared his insights on the development of alternative energy meeting future needs.

Chief Executive of HKSAR, the Honourable Mr. Donald Tsang (middle) officiated at the grand opening of the Centre in conjunction with Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr. Xu Zongheng (sixth from right), accompanied by Chairman of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Mr. Nicholas Brooke (fourth from left) and Chairman of the Board of DuPont, Mr. Charles O. Holliday, Jr (sixth from left).

Then VIPs visited Test Laboratory which is facilitated with various specialized equipments for performing the test of thin-file solar panels. The Test Laboratory is not only to support R&D in thin-file solar panels, but also to comply with IEC standard test.

After than, they visited Pilot Line to understand the production process of thin film photovoltaic such as Laser Pattern, PECVD system, Edge blast, Bonding, Lamination, Junction Box Installation and Framing.

For more information, please visit:

Government Press Releases -

http://www.news.gov.hk/tc/category/environment/090320/html/090320tc03003.htm

http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200903/20/P200903200174_print.htm
HKSTP news - http://www.hkstp.org/HKSTPC/news.jsp?lan=en&id=NW_0000329
News - http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/economicnews/view/416635/1/.html

Drug Recall and Related Testing Scope in Hong Kong Laboratories

The Department of Health (DH) has asked Europharm to recall Purinol tablets from the market as unacceptable laboratory analysis of the four Purinol samples taken from Queen Mary Hospital on 9 March 2009. The drug samples were tested by the University of Hong Kong and confirmed the presence of a fungus called Rhizopus. The significant of microbiology test of drug was concerned.

For controlling of Chinese medicines, the Chinese Medicines Section of the Government Laboratory was established in 1998, as well as the relevant analytic methods, to examine Chinese medicine for possible contaminants and adulteration of western medicine. In order to support the enforcement of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance and to demonstrate the competence in laboratories, the accreditation scheme of ISO/IEC17025 was also developed.

The Government Laboratory is the first laboratory accredited under HOKLAS for TCM in mid-2002, when the analysis of toxic elements in Chinese medicine namely, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead adopted microwave digestion followed by ICP-MS measurement. It aims to stimulate other local laboratories performing similar tests to seek accreditation thereby upgrading their testing standard. After that several commercial laboratories have accredited different testing scope in Chinese Medicine category.


The directory of accreditation is posted in HKAS website at http://www.itc.gov.hk/en/quality/hkas/hoklas/directory/chin.htm , where
1 – Government Laboratory
3 – The Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre Ltd.
4 – CMA Industrial Development Foundation Limited
5 – Intertek Testing Services Hong Kong Ltd.
9 – SGS Hong Kong Limited
39 – Hong Kong Productivity Council – Environment and Product Innovation Laboratory
58 – Bureau Veritas Hong Kong Limited - Kowloon Bay Office
66 – ALS Technichem (HK) Pty Limited
83 – Wellab Limited
145 – Institute for the Advancement of Chinese Medicine (IACM) Ltd.

The summary of test scope for Chinese Medicine in Hong Kong Laboratories is shown in the following table.

Recently, the Department of Health (DH) invites Professor Yuen from Dept. of Microbiology in Hong Kong University to perform a feasibility study about the introduction of microbiology tests in pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

Differences between ISO 9001, HKGMP and ISO/IEC 17025

What are the Differences between QMS standard in ISO9001, Hong Kong GMP and ISO/IEC17025 (HOKLAS Accreditation)? (1)

The worldwide-recognized Quality Management System is ISO9000 family. ISO9001:2000 is a generic standard for quality management system applicable to all organizations irrespective of type, size or product / service provided. However, many technical requirements are not stated in this generic standard ISO9001:2000 specifically. For instance, Cheung H.Y. and Chan L.W. (1998) presented that plant design for the manufacture of Chinese herbal pills is one of the more challenging activities in pharmaceutical industry, as it is the prime factor affecting the quality of a drug. Therefore, GMP legislative requirements can upgrade TCM products in Hong Kong(2). The design and implementation of team-based quality improvement campaign to Laboratory are also rose by Chin K.S. et al. 1996(3). Both industries are very concern about quality. Therefore, GMP Guideline:1995 and ISO/IEC17025:1999 are developed for herbal medicine industries and laboratories, which emphasis for the technical competence of both industries. Lau Edward P. (1996) stated that ISO 9000 is not well accepted by the pharmaceutical industry in the US (same as HK) for conventional therapeutic products because the mandatory regulatory practice, designs specifically for the industry, is superior to the ISO standards in many cases(4). The main clause comparison between ISO9001:2000, HKGMP:1995 and ISO/IEC17025:1999 (HOKLAS Accreditation) are summarized in Table 1.

The fundamental differences in the processes used by accreditation bodies and certification bodies to establish compliance with ISO/IEC17025 (HOKLAS Accreditation) and ISO9001 are obviously. Laboratory accreditation aims to recognize specific technical competence, the assessments of laboratories are conducted by teams comprising relevant technical experts and assessors able to evaluate not only the compliance with the management systems requirements of ISO/IEC17025 (or ISO9001), but also determining the specific technical competence of personnel and the availability of all the technical resources need to produce reliable data and results for specific test methods(5).

Reference:
1. Lai, Lotto K.H. and H.Y. Cheung (2003) “Laboratory accreditation has added-value for quality control of herbal medicine manufacturing but cannot replace implementation of good manufacturing practices.” Hong Kong Pharmaceutical Journal, 12(1), pp26-19.
2. Cheung H.Y. and L.W. Chan (1998), Planning and Designing a GMP Plant for the Manufacture of Chinese Herbal Pills, International Symposium on “The Worldwide Herbal Industry: Present and Future”, p16, July 15-17.
3. Chin K.S., K.V. Patri, K.F. Pun, W.H. Yeung, L.T. Poon and K.K. Poon (1996), Starting the Journey: Team-based QI in a University Laboratory, The TQM Magazine, 8(2), pp.20-25.
4. Lau Edward P. (1996), Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance and Quality Control Workshop, E.L. Associates, Inc., USA.
5. HKAS News, Hong Kong Accreditation Service, Issue No.33, January 2003.

Effective Performance Appraisal

Today, I attended a company training course entitled “Effective Performance Appraisal” which was provided by Hi-Po Management Consultant Company Limited. Trainer was Ms. Rebecca Lee (Principal Consultant). I summarized what I have got in this training as below.

In the beginning, my first insight about this appraisal training was “waste my time”, but I believed the value of good performance appraisal is a support for staff promotion. Finally, I found the training was useful and helpful to staff.

Performance management process includes Planning, Coaching and Review. Appraisal is in the “Review” stage. This training aimed to make “Behavior Change”. There were four attitude found during the appraisal exercise, namely unconscious negative, unconscious positive, conscious negative and conscious positive. It demonstrated mindset affecting behavior.

We played a game relating “Change”. We found that “People don’t do what you expect, but they just do what you INSPECT”.

In the performance planning stage, objectives settling are the most important.
SMART objectives are recommended.

Specific (Target is detailed and focused: e.g. shorten the response time)
Measurable (How to measure: e.g. results of customer survey)
Achievable (Complete target within a reasonable timeframe and capability: e.g. within 1day)
Relevant (Target is relevant to the immediate needs of the business and / individual’s career goals: e.g. Customer)
Time-bounded (Expected deadline: e.g. Q2 FY 09)

What make performance appraisal (PA) work?
· Committed appraiser
· Committed appraisee
· Skilled appraiser
· Enlightened appraisee
· An appropriate system

Preparation for appraisal is the significant factor for PA success. Moreover, we have to avoid focusing on recent observation, to avoid stereotyping, as well as, to avoid “Halo” and “Horns” effects; where “Halo Effect” means overall favorable impressions and “Horns Effect” means overall unfavorable impression.

There are two essential skills for PA as follows:
A) Verbal Communication
i) Questioning skills (Open, Close, Probing and Leading Questions)
ii) Feedback skills
B) Non-verbal Communication
i) Listening skills
Look interested; Involve yourself by questioning; Stay on target; Test your understanding; Evaluate the message; and Neutralize your feelings
(WAIT = Why Am I Talking?)
ii) Body Language

After that we had a group role-play game to practice those skills.
Lastly, many slogans, which have been learnt from the course, were posted on the wall. Each participant selected one of them to represent what he/she thought it is the most important.

I selected “PA is a tool for Personal Development”. What ever how bad your boss does the PA, you have to do your best and influence the others.