UM hosts forum on Hong Kong and Macao pharmaceutical industry development

MACAU, December 19 - The ‘2025 Forum on Hong Kong and Macao Pharmaceutical Industry Development—Learning from Neighbours: Fostering an Ecosystem for Medical and Pharmaceutical Advancement’, jointly organised by the Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences (CPRS) at the University of Macau (UM), the Hong Kong Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (HKAPI), the Pharmaceutical Society of Macao, and the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), was held at UM. The event brought together over 100 experts, scholars, government representatives, and industry professionals from Hong Kong, Macao, and the Chinese mainland to engage in in-depth discussions on key topics, including pharmaceutical policies and regulations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), pharmacovigilance, clinical research and real-world data applications, and accessibility of innovative treatment options. The forum aimed to promote collaborative innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry and support the development of a pharmaceutical ecosystem. 

At the opening ceremony, Hu Yuanjia, director of CPRS; Chan So Kuen, senior executive director of HKAPI; Chow Shing Fung, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at HKU; and Carolina Ung Oi Lam, secretary-general of the Pharmaceutical Society of Macao, delivered welcome remarks. They expressed hope that, as collaboration in the pharmaceutical sector across the GBA continues to deepen, the forum will help build an effective platform connecting industry, academia, government, research, and medical institutions, foster a more adaptable and sustainable pharmaceutical ecosystem, accelerate the translation of cutting-edge technologies, and support the introduction of new drugs to the market.

The forum featured a series of academic presentations. Kevin Lam, chief pharmacist in the Preparatory Office for the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation, outlined the current state of drug and medical device regulation in Hong Kong, along with the centre’s development strategy and recent progress. Lei Chi Ieong, head of the Department of Registration in the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau of the Macao SAR government, explained Macao’s drug and medical device regulatory system, as well as national policies that support Macao’s pharmaceutical sector. Michael Yim, chief pharmacist in the Drug Office in the Department of Health of the Hong Kong SAR government, introduced Hong Kong’s pharmacovigilance system, which oversees the entire life cycle of drugs and enables proactive, continuous quality monitoring. Song Menghuan, research assistant professor in the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) at UM, demonstrated the use of pharmacovigilance tools through a case study on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Cheung Ching Lung, director of the Real-World Study and Application Centre (RWSAC), discussed opportunities for collaboration in clinical research across the GBA from a Hong Kong perspective, and shared the strategic goals and latest developments of the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute and RWSAC. Li Yichong, director of the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center, provided an overview of the policy environment, current landscape, and future prospects for biomedical policies and clinical trials in the GBA within the national context. Chio Weng, director of Hospital Administration of the Conde S. Januário Hospital of the Health Bureau of the Macao SAR government, proposed a value-based healthcare approach to the management of accessibility to innovative drugs in Macao. Li Xue, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at HKU, presented a cost-effectiveness analysis strategy for enlistment decision of innovative drugs.

Carolina Ung Oi Lam; Hu Hao, professor in UM ICMS; Andrea Chang, board member of HKAPI and chair of the HKAPI GBA taskforce; and Fien Tong, head of the HKAPI GBA taskforce, joined the speakers for further discussion. They also called for stronger cooperation among universities in the GBA to provide research and decision-making support for the government.

The forum was supported by UM ICMS and the Macao Society for Medicinal Administration. Guests attending the forum included Ung Choi Kun, president of the Macao Wisdom Humanities Encourage Political Association; Jack Wong, founder of Asia Regulatory Professionals Association; Leung Shek Ming, lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at HKU; and Li Chihua, assistant professor in ICMS.