China Medical News

The National Healthcare Security Administration has published the winning bids for its latest round of centralized drug procurement, adding 60 new types of medications including those used to treat high blood pressure, diabetes and lung cancer.　The average price cut during this round of procurement was 48%, and the medicines are expected to be available to patients by November.

This round will help patients collectively save 18.5 billion yuan ($2.73 billion) every year, the administration said. For example, the price of a targeted medicine used to treat lung cancer (Lenvima generics) has been reduced to 18 yuan per capsule from 108 yuan, which can save patients 8,100 yuan for every cycle of treatment.

Bidding took place in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, and attracted 295 companies, and the administration released a draft list of 217 bid winners in the middle of July, among which only six are foreign companies. From late July, healthcare authorities in Tianjin and Guangdong province began to permit winners to promote their medications on official public healthcare platforms.

Since 2018, China has held seven rounds of centralized drug procurement covering 294 medications. Prices have been reduced by over 50% during the past six rounds, which has helped save patients over 260 billion yuan. (Source: China Daily)