Spinal muscular atrophy patients in Hong Kong have urged the government to expand subsidised medicine options for adults, including injection therapy, to improve their quality of life. Lui Man-lam, president of the Hong Kong Neuro-Muscular Disease Association, said at a Sunday press conference that oral medicine subsidies for those aged 25 or above began early this year, but adults still lack public funding for injections.
Spinal muscular atrophy patients said their conditions deteriorated after growing up without affordable care. Lui Man-lam, president of the Hong Kong Neuro-Muscular Disease Association, stated at a Sunday press conference that while oral medicine subsidies for patients aged 25 or above rolled out in the first quarter of this year via the Community Care Fund, adult patients still lack public funding for injection therapy.
"We are advocating equal subsidies for both treatment options – not out of preference but because of individual medical needs," Lui said.
Spinal muscular atrophy is a hereditary neuromuscular disease in which motor neurons in the spinal cord and lower brainstem progressively deteriorate, weakening muscles and impairing movement, swallowing and breathing. Hong Kong began subsidising injection treatment for patients under 18 in 2018, expanding it the next year to two more disease types via the Community Care Fund. Oral medication was registered in 2021 and supplied to child patients; those over 25 could register in late 2025, with subsidies available from this year's first quarter.