Health chief Lo Chung-mau said Hong Kong must play to its strengths and support the country's biopharmaceutical innovation and application.
Speaking on RTHK's "Vision 15: Hong Kong's Chapter", Lo said the SAR has clear advantages – high‑quality healthcare, a well‑standardised public hospital system and two world‑class medical schools, with a third on the way.
He said these are essential for medical innovation, and more importantly, put Hong Kong in a strong position to support the country's biopharmaceutical goals.
The secretary for health said biopharmaceutical research needs clinical trials and enough cases, which Hong Kong doesn't have enough of.
Lo said the Greater Bay Area, and the whole country, can provide the cases the city needs.
He added that biopharmaceuticals also need a market and that's another advantage of the GBA and the nation as a whole.
"The country places great importance on biopharmaceuticals. At the moment, our mainland biopharmaceutical companies are already ranked second in the world in innovative drug development," he said.
"Hong Kong must leverage its own strengths and coordinate with the country's biopharmaceutical innovation and application."
Edited by Edmond Fong
