Sophia Chan

{{family name hatnote|Chan|Sophia Chan|Chan Siu Chee|lang=Hong Kong}}{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Professor

| name = Sophia Chan Siu Chee

| native_name = {{nobold|陳肇始}}

| native_name_lang = zh-hk

| honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=HKG|size=100%|GBS|JP}}

| image = File:Sophia Chan Siu-chee 20190126.jpg

| caption =

| office1 = Secretary for Food and Health

| term_start1 = 1 July 2017

| term_end1 = 30 June 2022

| 1blankname1 = Chief Executive

| 1namedata1 = Carrie Lam

| predecessor1 = Ko Wing-man

| successor1 = Lo Chung-mau
(Secretary for Health)

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|4|16}}

| birth_place =

| birthname =

| nationality =

| party =

| spouse =

| alma_mater = University of Manchester (MEd)
Harvard University (MPH)
University of Hong Kong (PhD)

| signature = ProfSofiaChan_Eng_Sign.png

}}

Sophia Chan Siu Chee {{Post-nominals |country=HKG|size=100%|GBS|JP}} ({{zh-t|陳肇始}}; born 16th April 1958) is a Hong Kong professor and politician. She served as Secretary for Food and Health from 2017 to 2022.

She was educated at the St. Paul's Secondary School. She subsequently graduated from the University of Manchester with a Master of Education, the Harvard University with a Master of Public Health and the University of Hong Kong with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree. She was a Professor in Nursing and Director of Research in HKU's School of Nursing and an Assistant Dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of HKU.

She was involved in tobacco control and smoking cessation promotion and was a consultant to the World Health Organization on training health-care professionals in tobacco dependency treatment interventions through advocacy and education.{{cite news|url=http://www.fhb.gov.hk/en/aboutus/biography/usfh.htm|title=Professor Sophia CHAN, JP}}

In 2012, she was appointed as the Under Secretary for Food and Health.{{cite news|url=http://archive.news.gov.hk/en/categories/admin/html/2012/10/20121031_152810.shtml?pickList=ticker|title=Under Secretaries, Political Assistants appointed}} In 2017, she was appointed Secretary for Food and Health of the administration of Carrie Lam.

Subsequently, in 2018 she declined to speak in support of banning bear-bile products, the production of which is considered inhumane and cruel, in Hong Kong.{{cite news|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201805/30/P2018053000640.htm|title=LCQ22: Prohibiting the trade of products containing ingredients from bear bile}}

In February 2021, Chan gave approval for emergency use of the Sinovac vaccine,{{Cite web|title=Govt approves Sinovac jabs 'in the public interest' - RTHK|url=https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1576185-20210218.htm?|access-date=2021-02-18|website=news.rthk.hk|language=en-gb}} and granted it an exemption from a rule that stated vaccines must have third phase clinical trial data published in a journal.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-17|title=Covid-19: Hong Kong experts endorse China's Sinovac vaccine before trial results are published|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2021/02/17/covid-19-hong-kong-experts-endorse-chinas-sinovac-vaccine-before-trial-results-are-published/|access-date=2021-02-18|website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP|language=en-GB}}

In April 2021, Chan briefed varies industries (catering, agriculture and fisheries, Chinese medicine, and health services) on why the NPCSC implemented rules to only allow "patriots" to serve in the government, and asked for their full support. In addition, she said that she fully supports the changes.{{cite web |title=SFH meets with stakeholders on improving Hong Kong's electoral system (with photos/video) |url=https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/07/P2021040700672.htm |publisher=Hong Kong Government |date=7 April 2021}} In December 2021, Chan claimed that having only "patriots" serve in the government would help the global fight against COVID-19.{{Cite web|title='HK will help global Covid fight with revamped Legco' - RTHK|url=https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1623836-20211212.htm?|access-date=2021-12-12|website=news.rthk.hk|language=en-gb}}

On 31 December 2021, Chan warned the public not to gather in large groups; hours later, she attended the Hong Kong Dental Association's annual ball, as the guest of honor.{{Cite web|last=Standard|first=The|title=Sophia Chan attended ball hours after advising citizens to avoid gatherings|url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/186176/Sophia-Chan-attended-ball-hours-after-advising-citizens-to-avoid-gatherings|access-date=2022-01-20|website=The Standard|language=en}}

In March 2022, Chan said that a COVID-19 lockdown in Hong Kong had not been ruled out, contradicting an earlier statement by Carrie Lam, who said that a lockdown would not happen.{{Cite news |date=2022-03-02 |title=Hong Kong government urges residents spooked by citywide lockdown not to panic |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-government-urges-residents-spooked-by-citywide-lockdown-not-panic-2022-03-02/ |access-date=2022-03-06}} The contradiction caused rumors and panic-buying at grocery stores and pharmacies. Chan also said that traditional Chinese medicine could prevent Covid-19.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-31 |title=How traditional Chinese medicine – TCM – is used to treat Covid-19 |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3172362/traditional-chinese-medicine-tcm-and-covid-19-what-you |access-date=2022-12-16 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}

In November 2022, Chan said that the government was not underprepared for the city's fifth wave, and when asked if the administration should apologize to relatives of those who died, Chan said it was time for people to move on.{{Cite web |last=Standard |first=The |title=HK govt not underprepared for city's fifth wave, former health chief says |url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/196804/HK-govt-not-underprepared-for-city%E2%80%99s-fifth-wave,-former-health-chief-says |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=The Standard |language=en}}