Medical Sciences Division (MSD) has invited Professor Wong, Ian Chi Kei, the head of the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at the University of Hong Kong to attend a biomedical seminar held on October 25, 2023 and deliver a distinguished lecture on "COVID-19 Vaccination Big Data Research: Shaping Public Health Policies. Chair Professor Paul Tam, Vice President of the Macau University of Science and Technology and Member of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, Chair Professor Zhu Yi Zhun, Associate Vice-President and Director of the School of Pharmacy of M.U.S.T., and faculty and students from MSD have attended the lecture.
Professor Wong, Ian Chi Kei
During the lecture, Professor Wong introduced his team at the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at the University of Hong Kong, which is responsible for pharmacovigilance of COVID-19 vaccines for the Hong Kong Department of Health. Through the CARE program, they utilize big data analysis to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. In this lecture, Professor Wong introduced the healthcare system in Hong Kong and explained how his team utilizes electronic medical records to develop a comprehensive pharmacovigilance system. Lastly, Professor Wong had showcased two case studies of using big data analysis for pharmacovigilance research on COVID-19 vaccines: the occurrence of Bell's palsy after CoronaVac vaccination and the incidence of myocarditis in children after receiving the BNT162b2 vaccine. The Hong Kong Department of Health has used these research findings to support its policy-making for the vaccination program. The research results of Professor Wong have also been widely disseminated in scientific journals and the mass media.
At the end of the seminar, Professor Wong engaged in lively discussions with the faculty and students
On-site at the Lecture
Professor Wong is appointed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the Department of Health. In recognition of his contributions in the fight against COVID-19, he was commended by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government in 2022.
Professor Wong has been one of the top 1% scholars in the field of pharmacology and pharmacy, focusing on cutting-edge research in the field of pediatric drug safety. As an academic pharmacist with expertise in big data analyzing research, Professor Wong has published over 600 articles in renowned journals, including Nature group journals, JAMA Network journals, The Lancet series, and BMJ journals.
