Co-organized by the Centre for Food and Drug Safety, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK; Department of Health and Hospital Authority, the third annual Symposium on Pharmacovigilance – Challenges in Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety was held on 19 March. Over 110 healthcare professionals, academics, government officials, researchers and pharmaceutical associates attended.

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Thomas Y.K. Chan, director of Centre for Food and Drug Safety and Mr. Richard M.F. Yuen, Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health) delivered the welcome remarks and opening address. Prof. Hervé Le Louet, head of Department of Pharmacovigilance, University Paris-Est Créteil and Prof. Brian Tomlinson, Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics, CUHK, gave keynote speeches. Other invited guests included Dr. Gloria Tam, deputy director, Department of Health, Dr. Heston Kwong, assistant director (drug), Department of Health, Dr. Joseph Lui, chairman of Medication Safety Committee, Hospital Authority and Prof. Vincent H.L. Lee, director, School of Pharmacy, CUHK.

The symposium provided a platform for the participants to exchange knowledge on how their joint efforts can help safeguard the efficacy, safety and quality of the medicines available in the market.