Hong Kong Medical Supplies

Healthcare services in Hong Kong runs along a dual-track model with services being provided by the private sector and government-funded public sector. Public medical service is provided by the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority. Hospital Authority is the largest end-user of goods and services in Hong Kong’s healthcare sector. 

Imports of medical equipment to Hong Kong amounted to US$2.66 billion in year 2019 with U.S. suppliers capturing 18% of the market share. To cope with a rapidly aging population, the Hong Kong Government has been increasing its funding on public healthcare. US$9.6 billion has been allocated to recurrent healthcare expenditure for fiscal year 2020/2021, accounting for 13.9% of total government recurrent expenditure. Other resources devoted to enhancing government medical services include expediting the upgrading or acquisition of medical equipment, introduction of advanced medical devices, expansion of the scope of drug formulary and promotion of primary healthcare services.

Hospital Authority is a statutory body managing all the government hospitals and institutes in Hong Kong. Hospital Authority procure through public tendering process and adhere to the Agreement on Government Procurement of the World Trade Organization (WTO GPA). U.S. suppliers interested supplying to the Hong Kong Government are encouraged to register with the Procurement and Materials Management Section (PMMS) of Hospital Authority as registered suppliers. U.S. suppliers may be invited to quote as and when opportunities arise. Tender notices and invitations for expression of interests are also available from their website. Application for ‘Supplier Registration’ with Hospital Authority is free of charge and application form can be downloaded on their website.

Even though the Hong Kong Drug Office since December 2015 no longer require vitamins and dietary supplements to be registered as pharmaceuticals or drugs, the HA still require companies submitting tenders for vitamins to provide similar documentation as tenders for drugs.  For example, distributors and manufacturers of vitamins must provide documents of product registrations, and complete product specific information which includes the master formula, finished product specifications, stability data, and bioequivalence (BE) data for generic drugs. The provision of BE for smaller manufacturers and distributors is costly and this requirement may deter smaller companies from bidding for the tenders.

The HA’s procurement of vitamins is usually for vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, iron soft gels, and vitamins for pre-natal women.  The quantity required in the tenders is usually 3 million but deliveries are in batches over three years.  For ease of product recalls and the deliveries of the vitamins it is preferable for the manufacturer to have a local distributor/warehouse and logistics agent in Hong Kong.  So far, HA has awarded their tenders for vitamins to Vita Green Health, the distributor of their in-house brand, “Doctor’s Choice.”  This brand of vitamins is manufactured in a GMP-certified pharmaceutical factory in the U.S.

For more information please contact:
U.S. Commercial Service, Hong Kong
Email: Office.Hongkong@trade.gov
Phone: +852 2521 1467