Hong Kong Medical and Health Council: Promoting the construction of an international medical innovation hub in Hong Kong and continuing to promote the development of clinical trials

The Zhitong Finance App learned that today (August 5), Professor Lo Chung-mau, the Secretary of the Hong Kong Health and Health Council (Health Council), presided over the 4th meeting of the Medical Innovation and Development Steering Committee to discuss strategies for developing Hong Kong into an international medical innovation hub and continuing to promote the development of clinical trials. The members also provided opinions on the future development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Institute.

At the meeting, members heard reports from laboratories, the Hospital Authority (HA), the Department of Health, the School of Medicine, and the Health Council on the work carried out and the latest developments in various measures to support the development of clinical trials. Representatives from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology School of Medicine also attended the conference for the first time. Since its establishment in November 2024, the Institute has been steadily advancing a number of tasks, including implementing a central processing mechanism for clinical trial contracts with the Hospital Authority and the University of Hong Kong Clinical Trial Center to unify relevant processes in public hospitals and universities to speed up trial initiation; and collaborating with Shenzhen to establish the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform” to provide one-stop support for clinical trial opportunities in the Greater Bay Area for drug development companies. The “Pharmaceutical Clinical Trial Quality Management Code” (ICH GCP E6 (R3)) has also been implemented since June 30 this year, further bringing Hong Kong's clinical trials into line with international standards. The members agreed with the relevant work direction and put forward constructive opinions.

Professor Lo Chung-mau said, “I sincerely thank the members of the Steering Committee for their insight. The Policy Address establishes the Government's policy goal of developing Hong Kong as an international healthcare innovation hub. The Health and Health Council will use institutional innovation to complement scientific and technological innovation, deepen the reform of the medical and health system, and make every effort to promote Hong Kong's development as an international medical innovation hub.”

He emphasized, “Clinical trials are an important foundation for medical innovation. Hong Kong has the advantages of a 'one country, two systems' system, a high level of medical professionals and technology, and unique conditions that are highly in line with international standards. Through the Institute, we will coordinate clinical trial resources from the public and private sectors, enhance the capacity and efficiency of clinical trials in Hong Kong in all aspects, and develop collaboratively with other cities in the Greater Bay Area to attract more local and domestic pharmaceutical and medical device companies to conduct R&D and clinical trials in Hong Kong, so that patients can benefit from the most advanced diagnosis and treatment technology as soon as possible, achieve the goal of 'good medicine for Hong Kong, R&D for the people', and drive the development of the advanced biomedical technology industry.”

The Medical Innovation and Development Steering Committee is chaired by the Secretary for Health Services of Hong Kong. The members include representatives of relevant policy bureaus, government departments and agencies, and the University of Hong Kong Medical School. The Steering Committee is responsible for coordinating and promoting health care innovation to further implement the policies and measures proposed in the Policy Address to develop Hong Kong as an international healthcare innovation hub.