Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ10: Hospital Authority Drug Formulary
Following is a question by the Dr Hon Fernando Cheung and a written reply by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today
(July 4):
Question:
Since 2005, the Hospital Authority (HA) has implemented the Hospital Authority
Drug Formulary (the Formulary) in public hospitals and clinics. I have learnt
that as some drugs in the Formulary have to be purchased by patients at their
own expenses, some patients with cancer and rare genetic diseases have not
received proper drug treatment because of financial hardship. In this
connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows the names
of the 30 drugs which are most often prescribed to patients by attending doctors
but have to be purchased by patients at their own expenses since the
implementation of the Formulary by HA, the diseases treated principally by each
of these drugs, the dosages normally prescribed by doctors, their retail prices
and whether patients may apply to the Samaritan Fund for assistance in meeting
the expenses on the drug treatments concerned?
Reply:
Madam President,
The Hospital Authority (HA) Drug Formulary (the Formulary) has been implemented
since July 2005. There are more than 1 300 drugs in the Formulary, including
most of the drugs required by patients (in particular the elderly and
chronically ill). Many expensive drugs are included in the Formulary, all of
which have evidential support for their clinical efficacy, therapeutic
effectiveness and are cost-effectiveness. The HA charges standard fees for all
the drugs in the Formulary with substantial subsidies.
For the period from July 2005 to April 2007, the 30 drugs that are most
frequently prescribed to patients by HA doctors but not included in the
Formulary, together with their relevant information, are set out at the Annex.
Among these drugs, one of them has been included as a special drug in the
Formulary since April 14, 2007, and five others are within the funding scope of
the Samaritan Fund. At present, the HA supplies some of the self-financed drugs
to patients at cost. As for other self-financed drugs not supplied by the HA,
the HA does not have the information on their market retail prices.
Ends/Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:25
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Annex to LCQ10