Health Bureau Launches 'e+ Life' Platform with First Challenge: 'e+ Go to Park' to Promote Healthy Habits

2024-09-14 15:15 Last Updated At：20:18

Health Bureau launches "e+ Life" health challenge platform under eHealth and officially rolls out "e+ Go to Park" game

The Health Bureau (HHB) launched the new "e+ Life" health challenge platform under eHealth and rolled out officially today (September 14) its very first health challenge, the "e+ Go to Park" game, to encourage members of the public to develop healthy habits by actively participating in health challenges. Over 100 primary and secondary school students as well as parents tried out the "e+ Go to Park" game and took part in a series of healthy activities at the launch ceremony for an energising weekend.

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Health Bureau launches "e+ Life" health challenge platform under eHealth and officially rolls out "e+ Go to Park" game Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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Health Bureau launches "e+ Life" health challenge platform under eHealth and officially rolls out "e+ Go to Park" game Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "Over 6 million citizens have registered with eHealth to date since its launch in 2016, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of the Hong Kong population. The eHealth mobile application (eHealth app) has also recorded more than 3.4 million downloads. We put forward the 'eHealth+' five-year plan last year to capitalise on the solid foundation of eHealth and make further enhancements through new functions with a view to better embracing the development of healthcare technologies in the future and enabling citizens to safeguard their well-being in a more effective manner for them to take up the primary responsibility for their own health. The Government is making every effort to develop the eHealth app into a single portal for citizens to manage health records of their own and their family members, gain access to health information, facilitate personal health monitoring and establish a healthier lifestyle, serving as a healthcare piggy bank for all.

"To encourage citizens to form healthy habits, the new 'e+ Life' health challenge platform is specially launched under 'eHealth+' to allow eHealth users to join various health challenges, log their daily exercises and accumulate health coins by interfacing with tracking applications. The first health challenge, i.e. the 'e+ Go to Park' rolled out today primarily targets students. According to the Student Health Service Annual Health Report for 2022-23 school year by the Department of Health (DH), around 90 per cent of students reported an insufficient level of physical activity, which in turn correlates with issues such as obesity, social and mental health among students. We hope to leverage the various game modes of 'e+ Go to Park', including individual, family, and school challenges, to encourage students to head outdoors with their parents and friends, and enjoy the fun of playing games and exercising together, thereby improving their physical and mental health."

The "e+ Go to Park" is introduced by the HHB in collaboration with the Education Bureau, the DH and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). Participants can access the "e+ Go to Park" game for free by logging in the "e+ Life" platform through the eHealth app. The game is set in the backstory of rescuing "Sports Babies" from outer space. Players are tasked to search for and capture different virtual characters and collectibles in real life at over 200 designated parks managed by the LCSD to replenish enough "sports energy" for fuelling the trip back home for the "Sports Babies". Players need to capture energy targets around different corners of the parks in person, allowing them to work out while gaming. In addition, a number of special edition virtual characters and collectibles featuring the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China will be introduced in October for players to capture. Citizens may visit the thematic website of the eHealth app (app.ehealth.gov.hk/elife-overview) for more details of the "e+ Life" platform and the "e+ Go to Park" game.

At the launch ceremony, about 10 students debuted the dance performance for the theme song entitled "e+ Move it Up" which was specially composed for the "e+ Life" platform. Professor Lo also had a taste of the "e+ Go to Park" game and participated in activities at several sports booths together with students. The event featured a variety of entertaining programmes and health activities, including sports booths of stretching exercise, dodgebee and rope skipping, the "e+ Support Station" for weight and blood pressure measurements as well as blood sugar testing, Chinese Medicine health consultation services, and storytelling sessions with interactive picture books for children's health education.

More health challenges will be introduced on the "e+ Life" platform. Among them, the DH will roll out a walking challenge under the "10 000 Steps a Day" campaign this November to raise public awareness of the health benefits of walking, encourage people to engage in more physical activities and support their family members or friends to integrate the habit of walking 10 000 steps a day into daily life.

The Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee; Deputy Secretary for Education Mr Edward To; the Deputy Director of Health, Dr Teresa Li; Assistant Director (Leisure Services) of the LCSD Mr Henry Wong; and Acting Assistant Director of Home Affairs, Mr Gavin Yeung, also attended the launch ceremony.

"The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address" put forward the "eHealth+" five-year plan to transform eHealth into a comprehensive healthcare information infrastructure that integrates multiple functions of data sharing, service support and care journey management through the launch of nine new functions (including "e+ Life"). At present, parents can easily deposit, access and manage their children's health records in the eHealth App, including all records of vaccination received at Maternal and Child Health Centres since 2007 and at primary schools across the city since 2013 under the DH's Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, as well as allergies or adverse drug reactions records. Moreover, the "Child Growth Record" function of the eHealth app has adopted the updated Hong Kong 2020 Growth References to help parents monitor the growth of their children.

Citizens may register as an eHealth user online through the "iAM Smart" mobile application, or by visiting any of the 18 designated post offices, over 70 eHealth registration centres located in different districts and eHealth mobile registration stations; as well as the various District Health Centres to register as members and activate eHealth accounts. A default consent arrangement was also made on the system to register participating citizens of government-subsidised vaccination schemes with eHealth as a streamlined registration procedure. Citizens may visit the eHealth websitefor more details on eHealth registration.

Hong Kong Government Enhances Medical Device Regulations and Trials for Improved Healthcare Access

2025-03-12 23:40 Last Updated At：23:48

Response on donation of medical devices to local healthcare institutions

In view of media enquiries on the donation of histotripsy medical devices to local healthcare institutions, the Health Bureau, the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) provide a consolidated response today (March 12) as follows:

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is committed to complementing technological innovation with institutional innovation. Through a series of measures such as the establishment of the Greater Bay Area Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform and the setting up of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation for the purpose of establishing the "primary evaluation", the Government has been enhancing Hong Kong's drug and medical device approval and clinical trial capabilities on all fronts, so as to facilitate the translation of innovative biomedical research results into clinical applications, expedite patients'access to advanced diagnostic and treatment services, and foster new quality productive forces in biomedical technology.

Innovative research and development of the most advanced, effective and up-to-date medical products can benefit the public. However, innovative medical products must be scientifically proven, including proven by clinical trials that they are safe and effective before they can be translated to clinical applications and at the same time form the basis for industrial development.

Regulation of medical devices

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At present, the DH provides support to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong in assessing applications for registration of pharmaceutical products (including advanced therapy products) and approving applications for registration of pharmaceutical products after proving the relevant safety, efficacy and quality requirements have been met. In addition, the Board also approves applications for clinical trials / medicinal tests in relation to pharmaceutical products.

Unlike pharmaceutical products of which registration and clinical trials are governed by legislation, there is no specific legislation to regulate medical devices in Hong Kong, including the clinical trials and use. Making reference to the recommendation of the Global Harmonization Task Force (now known as the International Medical Device Regulators Forum), the DH has introduced a voluntary Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS), under which a listing system for medical devices and traders as well as a post-market monitoring system are in place to ensure that medical devices supplied in Hong Kong meet the requirements on safety, quality and performance. Information of listed medical devices is uploaded to the website of the DH's Medical Device Division (www.mdd.gov.hk/en/mdacs/search-database/list-md/index.html). The HA has also implemented the priority procurement strategy since 2024, giving preference in considering the procurement of medical devices listed under the MDACS.

The medical devices donated to the local healthcare institutions have not been listed under the MDACS. The DH has recently received an application for listing a histotripsy medical device, and the application is being processed.

Trial of medical devices

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Clinical trials carry a certain degree of risk to the participants and should be conducted by registered healthcare professionals after informing the participants of the associated risks and obtaining their explicit informed consent. At present, even though there is no statutory provision prohibiting healthcare professionals from using new medical devices on patients, healthcare professionals have the professional responsibility to act in the best interests of patients and ensure that all trials are conducted with the explicit informed consent of patients.

It is understood that the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital are using the donated histotripsy medical devices for clinical trials on liver cancer treatment. These clinical trials can effectively assess the safety and efficacy of the devices for the Asian population, in particular patients in Hong Kong. The Government and the HA are paying attention to the results of these clinical studies, and expect that the data will provide a scientific basis for wider application in the future.

Application of medical devices

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Regarding the application of new drugs and medical devices in the public healthcare system, the HA has established robust mechanisms for evaluating and deciding on the introduction of new drugs, devices and other innovative treatments for public healthcare services. The safety of the treatment methods, whether there is sufficient evidence supporting their therapeutic effectiveness, the cost-effectiveness of such introduction, as well as comprehensive comparisons with existing treatment services have to be considered. When making consideration according to these mechanisms, the HA must ensure fairness and objectivity as well as prudent use of public resources. Also, the consideration process will not and should not be influenced by whether the treatment method is provided or sponsored by individual pharmaceutical or device manufacturers.

The application in the public healthcare system of new drugs and medical devices, and methods for treatment that are still in the clinical trial phase without sufficient clinical data should be handled in a very careful and prudent manner. The HA will closely monitor medical technology developments, with experts regularly studying and reviewing treatment options for patients and the latest developments in clinical and scientific evidence of related technologies, while considering healthcare professionals' opinions and overseas developments to plan for the introduction of medical technologies. Meanwhile, the availability of relevant expertise, manpower and facilities, as well as complementarity with government policy directions, will also be taken into account.

Concerning the research and development (R&D) of medical devices and drugs, clinical trials should be distinguished from clinical services. No clinical service may be provided when clinical trial is still unfinished. Citizens who need to seek medical services due to illnesses should consult professionals including medical practitioners, and should not be influenced by other online advertisements or publicity through endorsements.

As announced in the Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address, the Government is expediting the reform of the approval mechanism for drugs and medical devices, including devising the timetable for the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation and the roadmap towards adoption of "primary evaluation", formulating strategies and measures to facilitate R&D of drugs and medical devices, and taking forward the preparatory work for legislating for the statutory regulation of medical devices, so as to further enhance the overall regulatory regime of medical products in Hong Kong, thereby facilitating Hong Kong's development into an international health and medical innovation hub, and at the same time benefitting local patients.

Health Bureau Launches 'e+ Life' Platform with First Challenge: 'e+ Go to Park' to Promote Healthy Habits

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