Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ14: Drugs prescribed by dermatological clinics of Department of Health
Following is a question by the Dr Hon Pierre Chan and a written reply by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today
(May 24):
Question:
Regarding the prescription of steroids and antiviral treatment against hepatitis
B (anti-HBV drugs) to patients by dermatological clinics under the Department of
Health, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the quantities of oral steroids prescribed by the aforesaid clinics in
each of the past five years;
(2) whether the doctors of the aforesaid clinics (i) are required to arrange
patients to receive blood tests to ascertain if the patients are HBV carriers
when they prescribe oral steroids, and (ii) can prescribe anti-HBV drugs to
patients; and
(3) whether the Department of Health has formulated guidelines on the
prescription of steroids and anti-HBV drugs by the doctors of such clinics; if
so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Dr Hon Pierre Chan
is as follows:
(1) The Dermatological Services of the Department of Health (DH) do not maintain
the relevant statistics.
(2) Before prescribing a relatively high dose or a prolonged course of oral
steroids, doctors of the dermatological clinics of the DH will follow the
prevailing practice of conducting blood tests on the patients concerned to
confirm whether they are Hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers. Currently, drugs for
treatment of Hepatitis B are not included in the drug formulary of the
Dermatological Services of the DH. If patients who need to take a relatively
high dose or a prolonged course of oral steroids are HBV carriers, the
dermatological clinics of DH will immediately refer them to the relevant
Department of Medicine of the Hospital Authority (HA) for further assessment and
follow-up management.
(3) The Dermatological Services of the DH always keep abreast of the relevant
latest local and international developments and guidelines, and adopt them, as
appropriate, in the standard practice of the dermatological clinics for the
prescription of a relatively high dose or a prolonged course of oral steroids.
As mentioned above, dermatological clinics will immediately refer patients who
are HBV carriers to the relevant Department of Medicine of the HA for further
assessment and follow-up management. Moreover, to enhance services, the
Dermatological Services of the DH have made recommendation to the Drug
Monitoring Committee under the DH for including one of the standard anti-HBV
drugs in the drug formulary of the Dermatological Services.
Ends/Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Issued at HKT 11:15
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