New international drugs should be used in designated hospitals and records of medications used by the patient should be made properly, said Lo Chung-mau, chief executive of the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital (HKU-SZH), according to Southern Metropolis Daily.
On Sunday, China detailed measures to grant more autonomy to Shenzhen to pursue reforms in various areas. In terms of improving the public service system, Shenzhen is encouraged to further relax the access to new international drugs.
Designated medical institutions operating in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will be allowed to use drugs that are urgently needed in clinical practice and have been marketed in Hong Kong and Macao, according to the measures.
Lo said relevant departments of the State and provincial governments had been promoting policies such as international drug access before the reform measures designed for Shenzhen were unveiled.
HKU-SZH also established a cross-border drug use team last year to study the problems that may be encountered when approved medicines from Hong Kong and Macao are used in Shenzhen, Lo told the Daily.
For instance, some new international drugs are not registered on the mainland, and there are no drug agents, said Lo. This creates problems such as procurement, pricing and drug safety, as well as legal risks such as how to transport them to Shenzhen, how to declare at customs and adverse drug reactions.
“The procurement of drugs should be done well and the price should be set reasonably in line with the procurement process. In terms of safety, it is necessary to ensure that the use of the drugs is evidence-based, and all adverse events should be tracked,” Lo said.
He added that after the occurrence of adverse effects, it is necessary to report them and obtain informed consent from the patient.
“We have been recording the whole process, especially the feedback of adverse events, and set these standards for the provincial medical products authority,” Lo said.
According to Lo, HKU-SZH had drawn up a list of 35 drugs, medical equipment and consumables last year for approval. Of the first 35 drugs, several have been registered by the National Medical Products Administration and can be used on the mainland.