The School of Public Health (HKU SPH) is delighted to announce the official launch of the Health Technology Assessment Collaboration Hub (HTAHub), alongside its launch seminar titled “HTA and Strategic Purchasing: Closing the Gap to Improve Access to Healthcare” delivered by Professor Manuel Espinoza, HTA Hub Coordinator and Associate Professor at HKU SPH .

The launch united leaders from academia, healthcare, government, and industry to discuss how Health Technology Assessment (HTA) can drive evidence-informed, equitable, and sustainable healthcare decisions in Hong Kong.

Professor Hui-Ling Yen, Interim Director and Professor of HKU SPH, introduced HTAHub as an academic home for value-based health technology decision-making, driven by research, education, and collaboration. Professor Lau Chak-sing , Dean of LKS Faculty of Medicine, emphasised connecting biomedical and AI innovation with cost-effectiveness, equity, and real-world health system needs.

Dr Libby Lee, Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority reflected on the practical challenges of resource allocation in public healthcare and the need for clinical evidence and cost-benefit analysis to guide service advancement.

Professor Manuel Espinoza’s launch seminar on HTA and strategic purchasing, explained how HTA defines value, manages uncertainty, and supports fairer access to costly health technologies. He also highlighted managed entry agreements as tools for sharing financial and economic risk between payers and manufacturers.

Moderated by Professor Sophia Chan (HKU), the panel discussion joined by Professor Gilberto Leung (HKUMed), Dr Cheung Wai-lun(Health Bureau, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China), and Professor Espinoza. They explored how HTA intersects with clinical guidelines, strategic purchasing, cost-effectiveness thresholds, data access, and social value.

The discussion highlighted HTA as a collaborative platform aligning evidence, policy, clinical practice, and public value. We look forward to partnering across sectors to advance HTA capacity for a more sustainable, equitable, and high-quality healthcare system in Hong Kong.