The Li Ka Shing Foundation announced it will pay for the treatment of 30 kidney‑tumour patients in histotripsy trials at CUHK Medical Centre, Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong and Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital. Removing the price barrier could make the new, non‑invasive therapy more reachable for local patients.

Histotripsy is an innovative technique that uses focused ultrasound waves to generate microscopic bubbles inside a tumour. When the bubbles expand and collapse, they mechanically break down the tumour tissue, achieving destruction without surgery or radiation.

More than 400 patients in Hong Kong have already received histotripsy treatment over the past two years, showing the technology’s growing use in the region. Since 2024, the foundation has provided three histotripsy systems to the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, giving clinicians the equipment needed for the kidney‑tumour trials.

The foundation’s earlier “Love Can Help” initiative in May 2026 subsidised histotripsy for 200 liver‑cancer patients, cutting each patient’s cost from about HK$260,000 to HK$50,000. This precedent suggests that the current kidney‑tumour subsidy could similarly lower expenses for the 30 trial participants.

If the trial confirms safety and effectiveness, the funded treatment could pave the way for broader, lower‑cost access to a non‑invasive kidney‑tumour option in Hong Kong. The case illustrates how targeted philanthropic funding can directly reduce medical costs and expand patient choice.