‘We should no longer simply be followers’: why top Hong Kong scientists back idea of city setting up its own drugs regulatory system
- Minister’s idea could result in faster access to drugs and boost biomedical research, experts say
- Setting up local manufacturing lines for vaccines and drugs crucial for encouraging more clinical trials in city, says professor
Leading scientists in Hong Kong have welcomed a suggestion for the city to have its own drug regulatory approval system, saying it could mean quicker access to new products and boost biomedical development.
But they also said the city had to ensure it had the expert manpower needed to do the job effectively, efficiently and to international standards, and setting up manufacturing lines would be crucial to foster biomedical growth.
They were responding to comments by health minister Lo Chung-mau, who told the Post in an interview on Wednesday that the government was looking into setting up an operation similar to the United States Food and Drug Administration to evaluate new pharmaceutical products and attract more research and development.
Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, a top infectious diseases expert at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), said it would be good for the city to have its own regulatory regime as it could allow easier access to drugs from more places.
“The process could also be faster,” he said. “For example, if a mainland Chinese drug hasn’t been authorised by overseas regulatory bodies, our own approval body could allow its use if we found it effective and safe.”
Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, a top microbiologist at HKU, said introducing such a system could help Hong Kong take the lead and stay ahead in biomedical advances.
“To be internationally competitive in biomedical research and development, Hong Kong must develop an efficient mechanism for drug preclinical development, clinical trial, and approval for use,” he said.