Audit Commission flags slow Health and Medical Research Fund approvals

The timeliness of the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMFR) approval was found unsatisfactory, with the longest wait from successful application to receiving an approval letter exceeding one and a half years, according to the Audit Commission. 

Established in December 2011 with a commitment of HK$1,415 million, the HMRF aimed to boost the medical research capacity and support evidence-based health promotion projects in Hong Kong. 

In the latest audit report, room for improvement for the HMFR in inviting applications for commissioned research programs was identified.

Under the current procedures, the Research Council (RC) endorsement was required on the proposed institutions identified by the Research Fund Secretariat (RFS). If only one institution is proposed, objectively evidenced and defensible justifications must be provided.

However, only one institution was invited for five out of six commissioned research projects between 2021 and 2025, with no documentation analyzing other institutions' qualifications submitted for reference.  

The commission further noted low application numbers from some sources or in certain study areas under the Research Fellowship Scheme, suggesting the secretariat should reduce early rejection rates. 

As for approval timelines, it is highlighted that the HMRF took an average of 207 days from a funding decision to the issuance of a formal approval notice during the 2022 to 2024 application years. 

Among 357 approved projects, 28 cases (about 8 percent) exceeded 300 days, with the longest stretching to 567 days. 

The RFS was also found to use considerable time for follow-up actions. For instance, it took between 50 and 111 days(averaging 87 days) to seek clarifications after receiving applicants’ first submission of response, affecting 12 of the 15 projects from the 2023 to 2024 application years. 

The low attendance at committee meetings also raised the commission’s concerns, while the overall attendance rates exceeded 85 percent, a non-official member of the Research Council had a 50 percent attendance rate in each of his two-year service terms.

In other words, the member only attended three out of six meetings over six years of service since his appointment in October 2019. 

The Health Bureau said it accepted the audit recommendations and would review performance indicators for all project categories to improve efficiency.

 

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