Governance
The Drug Formulary is developed by on‐going evaluation of new drugs and regular review of the prevailing list of drugs by relevant committees under established mechanisms.
The evaluation and review processes follow an evidence‐based approach, having regard to the three principal considerations of safety, efficacy and cost‐effectiveness while taking into account other relevant factors, including international recommendations and practices, advance in technology, disease state, patient compliance, quality of life, actual experience in the use of drugs as well as views of professionals and patient groups.
The HA Drug Formulary is updated every three months to incorporate changes endorsed by relevant committees under established mechanisms, including addition of new drugs and indications and changes in drug category arising from funded programmes as well as biennial comprehensive and ad hoc review. To enhance the transparency of the decision-making process for including new drugs in the HA Drug Formulary and improve the communication with patient groups, HA would also upload the drug lists discussed at each DAC meeting, the review outcome of each application and the reference materials used in new drug appraisals to the internet website for stakeholders’ reference.
HA will keep on reviewing the HA Drug Formulary in accordance with the principle of rational use of limited public resources to benefit more patients and with reference to the latest developments in clinical research and scientific evidence.
- Drug Management Committee (DMC) is responsible for HA’s overall drug management.
- Drug Advisory Committee (DAC) is responsible for regular evaluation of new drugs and new indications for listing on the HA Drug Formulary.
- Drug Formulary Committee (DFC) is tasked to review the current drug list in the HA Drug Formulary biennially in order to remove obsolete drugs and modify the clinical indications of individual Special drugs as appropriate. Ad hoc review is also conducted in situations where an alert issued by a health authority indicates a potential impact on change in clinical practice.
- Multiple Expert Panels provide professional support for the above committees.
The evaluation and review processes follow an evidence‐based approach, having regard to the three principal considerations of safety, efficacy and cost‐effectiveness while taking into account other relevant factors, including international recommendations and practices, advance in technology, disease state, patient compliance, quality of life, actual experience in the use of drugs as well as views of professionals and patient groups.
The HA Drug Formulary is updated every three months to incorporate changes endorsed by relevant committees under established mechanisms, including addition of new drugs and indications and changes in drug category arising from funded programmes as well as biennial comprehensive and ad hoc review. To enhance the transparency of the decision-making process for including new drugs in the HA Drug Formulary and improve the communication with patient groups, HA would also upload the drug lists discussed at each DAC meeting, the review outcome of each application and the reference materials used in new drug appraisals to the internet website for stakeholders’ reference.
HA will keep on reviewing the HA Drug Formulary in accordance with the principle of rational use of limited public resources to benefit more patients and with reference to the latest developments in clinical research and scientific evidence.
Drug Formulary Categories and Charges
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Self-financed Drugs Available for Purchase by Patients at HA Pharmacies
How we evaluate new drugs
Governance