A Beijing-educated former official at the US federal drug regulator has been appointed to lead Hong Kong’s new medical products body, tasked with accelerating the clinical use of medicines and medical devices as part of a regulatory overhaul.
Li Zili, who previously worked at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), would take up the post of controller for medical products regulation under the Department of Health on a three-year term beginning October 20, the government said on Monday.
He will lead the Centre for Medical Products Regulation, to be established later this year, which aims to promote proactive “primary evaluation”, speed up the clinical application of drugs and medical devices, and give patients access to advanced products that meet quality and safety standards.
Li served twice at the FDA, first as a medical team leader and later as head of global affairs at the agency’s Office of Generic Drugs.