Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau led a delegation to Singapore to commence their visit today. He met Chinese Ambassador to Singapore Cao Zhongming and engaged in discussions with the Consortium for Clinical Research & Innovation, Singapore (CRIS).

During the meeting with Mr Cao, Prof Lo introduced him to the latest healthcare developments in Hong Kong.

Prof Lo said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is pressing ahead with the healthcare reform and incorporating the concept of co-ordinated development of healthcare services, healthcare protection and drugs into the reform framework to tie in with the national healthcare reform direction.

“On healthcare services, we are committed to advancing the primary healthcare development, as well as reforming the governance and structure of the Hospital Authority to enhance the quality and efficiency of public healthcare services.

“On drugs, we have put forward the vision of moving towards primary evaluation through reforming the approval and registration mechanism for drugs and medical devices.

“To this end, we have implemented the '1+' mechanism for approval of new drugs and enhanced the arrangements for introduction and procurement of drugs and medical devices for public healthcare.”

As for healthcare protection, he noted that the Public Healthcare Fees & Charges Reform jointly announced by the Health Bureau and the Hospital Authority in March this year will not only restructure the subsidisation levels for various services in a precise manner but also enhance healthcare protection, thereby providing Hong Kong citizens with a larger, more stable, thicker and denser public healthcare safety net.

The delegation then met the CRIS. Prof Lo said that the Chief Executive announced relevant strategies to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub in his 2023 and 2024 Policy Addresses.

“The Hong Kong SAR Government will leverage the advantages of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, and jointly establish a one-stop clinical trial collaboration platform through the synergistic collaboration between the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute located in the Hong Kong Park and the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center located in the Shenzhen Park.

“Furthermore, the Hong Kong SAR Government will establish the Real-World Study & Application Centre by the end of this year to provide real-world data support for the approval of drugs and medical devices.”

He added that the Hong Kong SAR Government will also establish the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation by the end of 2026 and implement 'primary evaluation' for new drug registration in phases beginning next year.