LettersHong Kong cancer patients in public hospitals need a better information system on funding for ‘self-financed’ drugs

A centralised system would help public hospitals assess patient’s financial needs and give health care professionals and patients easy access to information on available help for acquiring more expensive ‘self-financed’ drugs

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Charitable funds have been established to help low-income Hongkongers access “self-financed drugs” but not all cancer patients may be aware of them. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:25am, 23 Sep 2019Updated: 7:25am, 23 Sep 2019

In July, the government launched the Hong Kong Cancer Strategy 2019 to address the rising number of new cancer cases and improve treatment services. While this is a welcome move for cancer patients in the city, Hong Kong needs a more systematic information management system to further improve cancer treatment services in public hospitals. Such a system would enable health care professionals and policymakers to better understand the needs of cancer patients, provide information and financially assist in cancer treatment, especially with regard to self-financed cancer drugs.

According to the Hospital Authority, about 140,300 cancer patients received treatment in public hospitals in 2018-19. To reduce the financial burden of the public health care system, the authority has designated 60 cancer drugs as self-financed drugs for which patients have to pay more than the standard fees. To support low-income cancer patients in need of self-financed drugs, the government established two charitable funds – the Samaritan Fund and the Community Care Fund – as safety nets. Thirty-six cancer drugs are listed as eligible for funding under the safety net for specific conditions.

While virtually all applications for financial help to the two funds were accepted, it was not clear whether the needs of cancer patients were adequately served. The authority has no information on the number of cancer patients who were ineligible for the funds and on those who were prescribed expensive drugs but gave up the treatment due to financial difficulties.

Therefore, it is difficult to assess the service needs and financing gaps of cancer patients. With financial support uncertain, doctors at public hospitals may feel reluctant to talk to patients about self-financed drugs as treatment options. In addition, there are at least 45 cancer drugs available at discounted rates in community pharmacies with subsidies from pharmaceutical companies. Yet, the information on such drugs is not centrally managed for public hospital doctors and patients.

We believe that the government must better serve the needs of cancer patients with regard to self-financed drugs by building a more systematic information management system in public hospitals to assess patient’s financial needs and to keep patients and doctors informed. Our foundation is also developing an online database on cancer treatment based on information contributed by patients.