Dear Mrs Van de Pol,

Further to my reply dated 30 December 2021, please find below the outcome of the Hospital Authority (HA) Head Office’s review of the response dated 20 December 2021.

The provision of the requested information would involve retrieval, standardisation, verification and compilation of raw data. Staff in the departments concerned in the HA Head Office and hospitals would have to be diverted from their core duties and other more urgent work, which would affect the execution of the HA’s proper functions. Hence, the HA is unable to accede to your request for the reason set out in paragraph 2.9(d) of the Code on Access to Information which states:

“Information which could only be made available by unreasonable diversion of departments’ resources.” (paragraph 2.9(d))

If you believe that the HA has failed to properly apply any provision of the Code on Access to Information, you may complain to the Ombudsman (email: [email address] or postal address: 30/F, China Merchants Tower, Shun Tak Centre, 168-200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong).

You may wish to know that for academic research, the HA has in place a mechanism and standard procedures for handling external data request applications. [Standard Procedures] and [Personal Information Collection Statement (PICS)] are applicable to all data request applications. For details, please visit http://www3.ha.org.hk/data/Provision/Index/. In brief, there are two options under the current mechanism, namely Option A and Option B with details as follows:

Option A: Expedited Approach

There are five pre-defined datasets on the utilisation of different HA core services that the requestor can choose from, each with specific data measures and well-defined classification variables. The output is a set of aggregate summary count data on specific measures analysed by detailed classification variables. The turnaround time would be shorter, and the charge for processing the request ($15,000 or above, depending on the data selection and specification) would be lower as compared to Option B.

Option B: Customised Approach

The customised approach is applicable if the requestor requires patient-based records or aggregate data other than those covered by Option A. In the case where the application is accepted by the HA, a charge will be imposed on the requestor for the provision of data which are customised according to the research protocol ($60,000 or above, depending on the complexity of the request), calculated based on the agreed data requirements and resources required for generating the customised dataset(s).

The requestor will need to submit the following documents by email to the Central Panel on Administrative Assessment of External Data Requests at [email address]:

· Project Information Sheet (if opt for Option A) or research protocol (if opt for Option B);

· Completed Data Request Application Form (Form A or B) in WORD format to spell out the data specifications and their relevance to the requestor’s research; and

· Documentary proof of research ethics approval (applicable only to requests for patient-based records).

If you have any questions about this reply, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Sandy Chu(Miss)

Access to Information Officer

Hospital Authority Head Office

(Tel.: 2300 6568/2300 6555)

Dear Mrs Van de Pol,

Thank you for your email dated 21 December 2021 in which you made a request to the Hospital Authority (HA) for a review of the HA Head Office’s response dated 20 December 2021.

As the departments concerned need more time to process your request, you will be advised further in relation to your request on or before 10 January 2022.

Should you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Sandy Chu(Miss)

Access to Information Officer

Hospital Authority Head Office

(Tel.: 2300 6568/2300 6555)

-----Original Message-----
From: Allyson van de Pol <foi+[email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2021 1:50 PM
To: [Hospital Authority request email]
Subject: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Use of Remdesivir in Hospitals

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EXTERNAL EMAIL: This email originated from outside of HA. Do not click any links, open any attachments, or reply unless you trust the sender and know the content is safe. Use the "Report Phishing Email" function to report suspicious emails.

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Dear Enquiry (Hospital Authority),

Thanks very much Ms Chu, Unfortunately the study you mention does not give enough data.

Considering that Remdesivir is a closely monitored drug (black triangle scheme in the UK), I fail to see how the HA can not keep records of its prescription and delivery.

Could you please look into this further.

Thank you

Yours sincerely,

Allyson van de Pol

-----Original Message-----

Dear Mrs Van de Pol,

Further to my reply dated 16 December 2021, please find below the Hospital

Authority (HA) Head Office’s response to the items you requested:

Remdesivir can be an option of treatment for COVID-19 under conditional

approval by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong. The HA does not

have customised records/information which indicate the number of patients

in hospitals that have been prescribed remdesivir, the condition/disease

the patient was suffering from and the outcome of the disease (i.e.

recovered or died). According to paragraph 1.14 of the Code on Access to

Information, the Code does not oblige departments to create a record which

does not exist.

You may wish to note that there are local studies on the use of remdesivir

for patients with COVID-19. The relevant studies can be accessed via

[1]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34265054/, which might be of interest

to you.

If you have any questions about this reply, please do not hesitate to

contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Sandy Chu(Miss)

Access to Information Officer

Hospital Authority Head Office

(Tel.: 2300 6568/2300 6555)

From: [2][Hospital Authority request email]

Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2021 7:03 PM

To: '[FOI #898 email]'

Cc: '[email address]'

Subject: Application for Access to Information (Allyson van de Pol)

Freedom of Information request - Use of Remdesivir in Hospitals

Dear Mrs Van de Pol,

Thank you for your Application for Access to Information dated 7 December

2021. The Department of Health also transferred your same request to the

Hospital Authority (HA) on 7 December 2021 for handling.

As the processing of your request involves consultation with the

departments concerned, we are unable to provide you with the information

sought at this stage. You will be advised further in relation to your

request on or before 24 December 2021.

Should you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to

contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Sandy Chu(Miss)

Access to Information Officer

Hospital Authority Head Office

(Tel.: 2300 6568/2300 6555)

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