The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (June 1) announced the arrangements to be made in public hospitals starting from this month to progressively substitute the anti-hypertensive drug Adalat Retard 20mg to ensure appropriate medication treatment for patients in need.
The spokesperson explained, "The HA was notified earlier by Bayer HealthCare Limited that the supply of Adalat Retard 20mg to Hong Kong will be discontinued upon the completion of the supply contract to the HA in September 2019. Meanwhile, the HA was also informed of unstable supply very soon.
"To ensure that patients' medication treatment would not be affected, the HA convened an expert panel meeting to examine and recommend the substitution drugs with equivalent therapeutic effects. A co-ordinated approach to switch to alternative drug treatment was confirmed with the specialties concerned.
"The Clinical Co-ordinating Committees of the specialties concerned agreed to progressively start prescribing to patients other anti-hypertensive drugs in the HA Drug Formulary with equivalent therapeutic effects as those of Adalat Retard 20mg beginning this month."
The spokesperson added that there are now 120 000 general outpatients, specialist outpatients and inpatients being prescribed with Adalat Retard 20mg. However, there is no immediate need for these patients to replace the drugs on hand. Doctors will prescribe the substitution drugs, such as amlodipine and felodipine, according to patients' clinical conditions during their next consultation for continuous blood pressure control.
"The HA has informed front-line staff of the arrangements and prescription choices for their consideration. Currently, the supply and the stock of all other anti-hypertensive drugs remain normal and is sufficient to cover patient prescriptions," the spokesperson remarked.
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