HK ends free Covid-19 drug supply for private doctors

Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) announced that private doctors will no longer receive free Covid-19 oral medications starting July 29, as the city’s coronavirus activity has dropped to a low level and demand for antiviral drugs has significantly declined.

The special arrangement, introduced during the pandemic to allow private doctors to prescribe free oral treatments to eligible patients, will be discontinued.

The CHP stated that public healthcare services will continue providing Covid-19 drugs under standard medical protocols for patients with clinical needs.

Private doctors who wish to prescribe registered COVID-19 oral medications after the cutoff date must make their own procurement arrangements with pharmaceutical suppliers.

Since the program’s launch, private doctors have prescribed approximately 200,000 free treatment courses to eligible Covid-19 patients as of June 30 this year.

(Marco Lam)