Professor Joseph Blais joined the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at the University of Hong Kong as an assistant professor in 2024. He obtained his PhD in pharmacoepidemiology from the University of Hong Kong and then completed post-doctoral training in the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, at the University of Hong Kong.

His research mainly focuses on using real-world data to comprehend the effectiveness of drugs, drug utilization research, patient adherence to medications, and evidence synthesis. He holds a particular interest in examining conventional and novel lipid-modifying drugs as well as antimicrobial drugs. Professor Blais welcomes collaboration with researchers who share an interest in addressing challenges related to the optimal prescribing of, and adherence to, lipid-modifying drugs. This includes exploring questions related to comparative effectiveness of different treatment strategies and adherence to novel treatments, such as PCSK9 inhibitors and bempedoic acid.

Professor Blais is an academic pharmacist, holding registrations with the Alberta College of Pharmacy (Canada) and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (Hong Kong). His pharmacy experience encompasses a postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) hospital pharmacy residency with Alberta Health Services (Edmonton) and five years as a clinical pharmacist at the University of Alberta Hospital.

Recruiting PhD students and research assistants
Our team is actively seeking highly motivated research post-graduate students (MPhil or PhD) and research assistants ideally with experience in epidemiology, biostatistics, pharmacy, medicine or healthcare to conduct innovative research in pharmacoepidemiology, drug utilization and evidence synthesis. If you are passionate about improving the use of medications and eager to join our dynamic team, please do not hesitate to email Professor Blais with your CV/resume and university transcripts.

Membership

• Registered Pharmacist, Alberta College of Pharmacy, Canada
• Registered Pharmacist, Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Hong Kong
• Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist, Board of Pharmacy Specialties, USA
• Member, International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE)
• Member, American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
• Member, Pharmaceutical Society of Hong Kong (PSHK)

Honours and Awards

• Graduate Collaborative Research Award, Universitas 21 (2019)
• Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, RGC, HK (2018)
• Institutional Preceptor of the Year, University of Alberta, Canada (2014)
• Management and Leadership Best Practices Award, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canada (2012)

• Pharmacoepidemiology
• Comparative effectiveness research
• Drug utilization research
• Patient medication adherence
• Lipidology and lipid-modifying drugs
• Evidence-based medicine and evidence synthesis

Publication Highlights

As of March 2024, Professor Blais has published 29 peer-reviewed research papers in high-quality international journals. According to Scopus, his h-index is 9. His research has been published in high-quality cardiovascular and pharmacy journals, including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Atherosclerosis, Drugs and the American Heart Journal.

Representative Publications

• Blais JE, Zhang W, Lin Y, Chui CS, Cheng VCC, Cowling BJ, Wu P. Antibiotic use in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a population-based study in Hong Kong. Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol. 2023;3(1):e205. doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/ash.2023.485
• Ye X, Blais JE, Ng V, Castle DJ, Hayes JF, Wei Y, Kang W, Gao L, Yan VKC, Wong ICK, Chan EW. Association between statins and the risk of suicide attempt, depression, anxiety, and seizure: A population-based, self-controlled case series study. J Affect Disord. 2023;320:421-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.148
• Blais JE, Huang X, Zhao JV. Overall and sex-specific effect of berberine for dyslipidemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. Drugs. 2023;83(5):403-27. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-023-01841-4
• Blais JE, Ye X, Wan EYF, Wong WCW, Wong ICK, Tomlinson B, Chan EW. Effectiveness of simvastatin versus gemfibrozil for primary prevention of cardiovascular events: a retrospective cohort study of 223,699 primary care patients. Clin Drug Investig. 2022;42:987–997. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40261-022-01208-9
• Blais JE, Wei Y, Knapp M, Wong ICK, Wei L, Chan EW. Trends in PCSK9 inhibitor utilization in the United States, Europe, and other countries: an analysis of international sales data. Am Heart J. 2022;248:13-20. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2022.02.008
• Brauer R, Alfageh B, Blais JE, Chan EW, Chui CSL, Hayes JF, Man KKC, Lau WCY, Yan VKC, Beykloo MY, Wang Z, Wei L, Wong ICK. Psychotropic medicine consumption in 65 countries and regions, 2008–19: a longitudinal study. Lancet Psychiatry. 2021;8(12):1071-82. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00292-3
• Yan VKC, Blais JE, Li X, Chui CSL, Wei L, Yan BP, Knapp MRJ, Siu CW, Wong ICK, Chan EW. Trends in cardiovascular medicine use in 65 middle- and high-income countries. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021;77(7):1021-3. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2020.12.025
• Blais JE, Chan EW, Law SWY, Mok MT, Huang D, Wong ICK, Siu CW. Trends in statin prescription prevalence, initiation, and dosing: Hong Kong, 2004–2015. Atherosclerosis. 2019;280:174-82. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2018.11.015

• Importance of attributes and willingness to pay for lipid-lowering agents in patients with hypercholesterolemia in Hong Kong: a discrete choice experiment (2023 – 2025)
  Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) 2021
  Health Bureau, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
  Amount: HKD 1,122,040 (USD 143,851)
  Role: Co-investigator
• Cardiovascular risk prediction model for patients on lipid modifying drugs (2020 – 2023)
  Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Fund, Partnership Research Programme, and Amgen Hong Kong Limited
  Amount: HKD 3,047,842 (USD 389,532)
  Role: Co-investigator

Regular Office Hours
Tuesday and Thursday between 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Office Location
L02-08B
2/F Laboratory Block, 21 Sassoon Road