Lawmaker flags cost concerns behind 26,000 uncollected hospital prescriptions

A Hong Kong lawmaker has raised concerns that higher drug charges may be discouraging some patients from collecting prescribed medication, after more than 26,000 public hospital prescriptions were left unclaimed following recent fee adjustments.

The figure, released earlier by the Health Bureau, accounts for about 3 percent of all prescriptions issued within the public healthcare system.

Speaking on a radio program on Thursday, lawmaker David Lam Tzit-yuen said it cannot be ruled out that some patients chose not to collect their medication due to increased costs after the pricing reform.

He said the aim of the healthcare reform is to better allocate resources and support patients in financial need, adding that the Hospital Authority should follow up on relevant cases if such situations emerge.

Lam said there are multiple reasons behind uncollected prescriptions. Some patients may have adjusted their medication on their own judgment without following doctors’ advice, while others may already have sufficient medication and therefore chose not to collect more, which he said could be understandable in certain circumstances.

However, he also pointed to misconceptions about healthcare spending.

Some patients may consider prescription drugs too expensive and opt not to collect them, while spending thousands of dollars on health supplements instead, the lawmaker said, adding that patients should prioritize spending on appropriate medical treatment.