China Medical News

China aims to keep its HIV prevalence rate below 0.2% by 2030, according to a policy document released this week, as high infection rates among men who have sex with men and covert transmission among heterosexual couples pose significant challenges.

Since around 2012, the country has effectively halted HIV transmission through blood transfusions, reduced mother-to-child transmission and curbed the virus's spread via injection drug use, the State Council General Office said in a plan released Wednesday. "Sexual transmission has become the primary route for the spread of HIV," the document noted.

The mortality rate of HIV/AIDS patients has gradually declined in recent years due to increased access to standardized antiviral treatment. "The overall HIV epidemic in China remains at a low level," it added. However, the control situation remains severe, with high infection rates among men who have sex with men and a rising covert transmission rate among heterosexual couples, making prevention efforts more difficult.

The document outlines several goals and measures to be implemented over the next five years. These include raising public awareness of HIV prevention and treatment to over 90% by the end of next year and curbing high-risk behaviors among men who have sex with men. By the end of next year, comprehensive prevention measures — such as ensuring the availability of condoms in hotels and other public venues and encouraging vulnerable groups to undergo testing — should cover at least 95% of high-risk populations. Additionally, the rate of new infections among people undergoing maintenance therapy for drug addiction should be kept below 0.2%. By 2025, the mother-to-child transmission rate should be reduced to below two percent, and the transmission rate from an HIV-positive partner within a family should be kept under 0.3%, the document added.

Looking ahead to 2030, the plan aims to ensure that at least 95% of people living with HIV are aware of their infection, 95% of diagnosed patients receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of patients on treatment achieve viral suppression to levels where they are no longer infectious.

According to data released by the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention this month, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in China is rising, although new infections are trending downward. More than 98% of new infections are sexually transmitted, with over 70% occurring among heterosexual couples. The document also emphasizes the importance of reducing HIV infections among teenagers, middle-aged adults and senior citizens. (Source: China Daily)

A total of 13 rare-disease drugs have been added to the latest edition of China's medical insurance drug catalog, bringing the total amount of such medicines covered by medical insurance in the country to more than 90. The newly-added items on the catalog, which was jointly released by the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) and relevant authorities, include drugs for rare diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, intractable epilepsy and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Due to their ultra-low incidence, a limited amount of patients, and high research and development costs, rare diseases have long remained areas of less focus in the healthcare field. Through inter-agency efforts, China has accelerated the construction of a pathway to prevent and treat such diseases -- with more accessible and affordable drugs now available to patients.

As part of this effort, the NHSA has adjusted the national medical insurance catalog for seven consecutive years since its establishment, expanding the scope of coverage to include rare diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, Gaucher disease and myasthenia gravis in recent times. "It is an expectation shared by both doctors and patients to see more high-quality and life-saving medicines added to the country's medical insurance," said Zhang Shuyang, president of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

In addition to the provision of more reimbursed drugs, China has also advanced its national collaboration network for rare-disease diagnosis and treatment. As of October 2024, more than 400 medical institutions had joined in the network, which features medical referral and telemedicine mechanisms and covers all provincial-level regions across the country. (Source: Xinhua)

• □　Belzutifan Tablets (Brand; WELIREG) – marketed by MERCK SHARP & DOHME (UK) LIMITED
• □　Varenicline Tartrate Nasal Spray (Brand; N/A) – marketed by Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
• □　Ambroxol Hydrochloride Spray (Brand; N/A) – marketed by GMep Medical Technology GmbH
• □　Minocycline Hydrochloride Foam (Brand; N/A) – marketed by Journey Medical Corporation
• □　Efgartigimod Alfa Injection (SubQ) (Brand; VYVGART HYTRULO) – marketed by argenx BV
• □　Rilonacept for Injection (Brand; ARCALYST) – marketed by Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals (UK)，Ltd.
• □　Mirvetuximab Soravtansine Injection (Brand; ELAHERE) – marketed by ImmunoGen, Inc.
• □　Recombinant Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent Vaccine (Brand; GARDASIL) – marketed by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

(Source: BaiPharm)

China will add 91 drugs to its national medical reimbursement list next year, the National Healthcare Security Administration said on Thursday.

The latest update includes 26 cancer drugs, 17 treatments for diabetes and other chronic diseases, 13 for rare diseases, seven anti-infection medicines and four psychiatric drugs. In the meantime, 43 drugs that have been replaced by more advanced counterparts or that have not been produced for a long time will be removed from the list.

The latest move puts the total number of medicines on the list to 3,159, including 1,765 Western medicines and 1,394 traditional Chinese medicines. Among the newly-added drugs, 89 have been included following price negotiations or bidding with drug manufacturers, resulting in an average price cut of 63%. The new list will take effect on Jan 1, 2025, and is expected to save patients more than 50 billion yuan ($6.9 billion) next year. (Source: China Daily)

The inclusion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) into China's basic public health service program is expected to boost awareness of the disease and improve treatment capabilities on the grassroots level, a senior health expert said on Wednesday.

COPD is a chronic condition that can cause restricted airflow and breathing problems. Common risk factors include smoking and inhalation of fumes, chemicals and dust. In China, the disease affects about 100 million people and kills one million annually.

The burgeoning health burden has prompted authorities to add the disease to the nation's basic public health service program in September. The program already covers high blood pressure and diabetes and promises free access to regular checkups and health management services for patients.

Yang Ting, deputy director of the National Center for Respiratory Medicine, based at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, said that according to a survey carried out about a decade ago, only about nine percent of participants recognized the disease, compared with over 60% for high blood pressure and diabetes. "Adding COPD to the national program will help improve awareness and knowledge about the disease, which is among the first key steps to promote early diagnosis and treatment," she said.

She added that the move is expected to improve diagnosis and treatment capabilities of grassroots health facilities so that not all patients have to swarm to major hospitals to receive standard treatment and asymptomatic patients can be promptly detected.

Yang said that in the past, some patients neglected complying with medicine regimens or health advice after being released from hospitals. "In the most extreme case, I met a patient who was admitted into hospital 13 times a year due to acute exacerbations of symptoms," she said. "If we can connect hospital-based therapies with home-based health management, these patients can be taken care of better."

Yang said the program is also expected to accelerate efforts to integrate healthcare resources for respiratory diseases and public health services. For instance, lung function examinations and questionnaires can be rolled out targeting smokers, so as to look for early signs of the disease and help them quit smoking. (Source: China Daily)

The overall five-year survival rate of cancer in China has been increasing year by year, rising from 30.9% at the beginning of this century to 43.7% by 2022, according to the latest data from the National Cancer Center.

The incidence of cancer in China matches the global average with a slightly higher mortality rate. However, after years of effort, the speed of the overall increase in the cancer survival rate in China has approached that of developed countries, said He Jie, director of the center and president of the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, during its academic annual conference in Beijing from Friday to Sunday.

According to monitoring data from 2000 to 2018, the age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of high-incidence tumors such as esophageal and gastric cancer in the Chinese population have been decreasing year by year. Experts said this is directly related to the gradual promotion of upper digestive tract cancer screening in China. He added that the urban early diagnosis and treatment project for cancer promoted by the National Cancer Center has now covered approximately 7 million people in 104 cities across 31 provincial-level regions.

In addition to prevention and early diagnosis and treatment, another key aspect of reducing cancer incidence and mortality rates is standardized treatment. In recent years, the number of specialized cancer departments in national tertiary cancer hospitals and tertiary public comprehensive hospitals has increased, but the distribution is uneven. Some county hospitals are accelerating the establishment of oncology and radiotherapy departments, but there are still quality control issues, experts said.

Cutting-edge cancer prevention and treatment methods are now accessible in China. Data shows that in the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the approval of new anti-cancer drugs in China, with a total of 208 approved. The proportion of domestically developed innovative drugs has also significantly increased, exceeding 60% in 2024.

Besides drugs, more convenient and suitable cancer diagnosis and treatment equipment is also being developed.

Zheng Zhongwei, an official from the National Health Commission, said that relevant departments are reviewing core scientific issues such as tumor immune mechanisms and metabolic mechanisms, preparing to select teams, and conducting organized cancer prevention and treatment technological breakthroughs.

Regarding national cancer prevention, the commission has proposed that by 2030, China's cancer prevention and treatment system will be improved. The comprehensive control of risk factors, cancer screening and early diagnosis and treatment capabilities will be enhanced. The standardized diagnosis and treatment levels will be improved, and the rising trend of cancer incidence and mortality rates will be controlled.

The overall five-year cancer survival rate is expected to reach 46.6% by 2030, effectively controlling the disease burden on patients, according to the commission. (Source: China Daily)

• □　Niraparib Tosylate and Abiraterone Acetate Tablets (Brand; N/A) – marketed by Janssen-Cilag International NV
• □　Pirtobrutinib Tablets (Brand; Jaypirca) – marketed by Eli Lilly Nederland B.V.
• □　Faricimab Injection (Brand; VABYSMO) – new indication for macular edema secondary to CRVO or BRVO – marketed by Roche Pharma (Schweiz) AG
• □　Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for Injection (Brand; You He De) – new indication for unresectable or metastatic NSCLC with HER2 mutations – marketed by Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH

(Source: BaiPharm)

The National Healthcare Security Administration said on Friday that 27 provincial-level regions have included fertility treatment in their basic health insurance as part of efforts to tackle an aging society and promote long-term and balanced demographic development.

The administration added that the average time it takes to complete insurance registration for newborns has been reduced from 28.7 to 6.4 working days and the period for processing maternity subsidies has been cut to 10 working days.

From January to September, the nation's maternity insurance fund spent 89.3 billion yuan ($12.5 billion) in total, up by 11.5 percent year-on-year, it said.

The nation's basic healthcare insurance fund spent 1.76 trillion yuan from January to September, up by 10.5 percent from the same period of last year. The growth rate exceeded that of the GDP by 5.7 percentage points.

As of the end of September, about 376 million people had enrolled in the national basic insurance program for employees, up by 2.4 percent year-on-year. (Source: China Daily)

China's National Health Commission has released its first set of guidelines aimed at standardizing the diagnosis and treatment of obesity.

Over past years, China has witnessed an upward trend in the morbidity rate of its overweight and obese population, according to the guidelines issued by the commission. More than half of adults in the country are overweight or obese, and the rate could reach 65.3 percent by 2030, according to a 2020 report from the NHC.

As an independent disease and a major causative factor for multiple chronic diseases, obesity has become a major public health issue in China, ranking as the sixth leading risk factor for death and disability in the country, the guidelines say.

The guidelines address the diagnosis standards, classification and staging of obesity. Its treatment section includes methods for behavioral, psychological and sports-based interventions, medical nutrition therapy, medication treatments, weight-loss and metabolic surgery, as well as approaches from traditional medicine. According to the guidelines, five medications have been approved in China for weight-loss treatment in adults with primary obesity. No medications have been approved for the treatment of inherited obesity in China.

Experts emphasize that most overweight and obese cases are caused by unhealthy lifestyles. The fundamental solution is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet and appropriate exercise to keep weight within a healthy range. (Source: Xinhua)

China has cut its premature death rate from cardiovascular conditions, cancer and other major chronic diseases by nearly 19% in the past decade, and is redoubling efforts in tackling obesity to further curb its incidence, said officials during the weekend.

Cao Xuetao, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said that the premature death rate for people age 30 to 70% with chronic illnesses — that is, the possibility of them dying from cardiovascular or respiratory diseases, cancer and diabetes — fell from 18.5% in 2015 to 15% last year. Chronic conditions are the biggest killer of Chinese people, accounting for over 80% of deaths annually.

China has made great efforts to boost the prevention and control of chronic diseases at the grassroots level, including building demonstration areas across the nation where comprehensive efforts promoting healthy lifestyles and early screenings have been rolled out. So far, 488 such demonstration areas have been built, covering 17.1% of county-level regions, Cao said during the opening ceremony of the 2024 China Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention and Control that was held in Beijing on Saturday.

The two-day event was held by the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association and several other national disease research institutions. Shen Hongbing, director of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, said that the rates of Chinese people's awareness, treatment and control of high blood pressure and diabetes have all significantly increased. However, he added that the control rate is only growing at a relatively modest pace, signifying that it is important to translate health literacy about these diseases into concrete action to curb them in an effective and scientific manner. "Rapid urbanization, an aging population and lifestyle changes have compounded challenges in tackling chronic diseases, and incidence rates of key chronic diseases are rising or remaining at a high level," he said. "More efforts are needed to intervene in the lifestyles of the public and focus on weight management," said Shen.

Official data shows that about 57%t of Chinese adults are either obese or overweight. From 2013 to last year, the overweight rate for adults rose by 4.5 percentage points, and the obesity rate among adult residents increased by 6 percentage points. As part of efforts to stem obesity, China launched a three-year campaign in June aimed at helping residents achieve a healthy weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Martin Taylor, the World Health Organization's representative to China, said that obesity is not just a chronic disease in itself, but also spikes the risk of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions. "It is encouraging to see weight management placed at the core of China's noncommunicable disease prevention strategy, fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and prioritizing prevention," he said.

In addition to building environments that encourage an active lifestyle, such as creating accessible parks, walking lanes and spaces for sport, dance and exercise, he also suggested enabling consumers to make healthier choices more easily, such as adding clear and interpretive labeling on prepackaged foods and imposing marketing restrictions on unhealthy products.

Besides strengthened prevention action, Taylor said that health systems should be beefed up to ensure the early detection and effective management of obesity and chronic diseases. "This means training healthcare professionals, expanding access to quality services and making essential medicines and technologies available to all who need them," he said.

In a crucial step toward improving the standard diagnosis and treatment of obesity, the National Health Commission released a related guideline on Thursday. Ji Linong, director of the endocrinology department at Peking University People's Hospital, said during an interview with the 21st Century Business Herald that the guideline details different types of interventions and therapies for obesity and is expected to help healthcare workers tailor weight loss plans for different patients. (Source: China Daily)

In its ongoing battle against cervical cancer, China has made free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations accessible to about 40% of girls aged 13 to 14, according to the National Health Commission.

Since 2021, 11 provincial-level regions and multiple cities have provided free vaccination services for girls of eligible age, Shen Haiping, head of the commission's maternal and child health department, said at a press conference on Friday.

A total of 280 million free HPV screenings have been conducted across China, greatly facilitating the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer, Shen said. Health authorities worked with women's federation organizations in providing medical assistance to 275,000 cervical cancer patients in financial difficulties, the official said.

According to the commission, cervical cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy. In 2022, there were 151,000 new cases of cervical cancer in China, with an incidence rate of 13.8 per 100,000, ranking fifth among cancers in women.

China has attached great importance to the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer, with this disease highlighted in a series of major documents, Shen said.

In 2023, the country launched a campaign to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer in answer to the international community's call to lower its incidence rate to 4 per 100,000 by the end of the century, Shen added. (Source: Xinhua)

• □　Osilodrostat Phosphate Tablets (Brand; Shi Rui Sa) – marketed by Recordati Rare Diseases
• □　Pembrolizumab Injection (Brand; Keytruda) – new indication for 1L in unresectable or metastatic melanoma - marketed by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
• □　Ponatinib Tablets (Brand; ICLUSIsG) – marketed by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Tofersen Injection (Brand; Qalsody) – marketed by Biogen MA Inc.
• □　Turoctocog alfa pegol for injection (Brand; Esperoct) – new indication not yet disclosed - marketed by Novo Nordisk A/S

(Source: BaiPharm)

The National Medical Products Administration, China's top drug regulator, says it will redouble efforts to facilitate research and market registration of homegrown innovative drugs, while speeding up the introduction of novel foreign drugs to the domestic market to meet public demand.

From January to August, the administration approved 31 innovative drugs, a rise of nearly 20% from the same period last year, Li Li, the director of the administration, told a recent news conference in Beijing. It also granted market clearance to 46 innovative medical devices during the same period, a year-on-year increase of more than 12%.

"In the meantime, progress has been made for domestic novel medicines such as molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy and cell therapy to obtain market registration overseas, while domestic products are gaining increased recognition in the global market," he said. Li added that homegrown, high-end medical equipment, such as surgical robots, artificial hearts and carbon ion treatment systems used to treat some cancer patients, have been approved in recent years, with some being of world-leading quality.

Li said the administration will continue to expedite market application procedures for medical products that can fill unmet, urgent medical needs. In Beijing, Shanghai and other regions, trial programs are underway to halve review periods for innovative medications from 60 to 30 working days.

"To advance opening-up in the pharmaceutical industry, we will also strengthen implementation of common international regulatory rules, support rollouts of international multi-center clinical trials and promote simultaneous research and review of global drugs in China," he said.

Li added that efforts will be made to explore segmented production of biological products, encourage international drugmakers to transfer manufacturing capacity of novel and high-end medical products to China and accelerate foreign novel drugs' market registration for the domestic market.

Regarding the supervision of drug production, the administration said that in the first eight months of the year it had carried out around 21,000 spot checks on drug manufacturers, with a pass rate of 99.43%. (Source: China Daily)

China plans to allow the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in certain cities and regions across the country, according to an official document unveiled on Sunday.

These hospitals will be permitted to open in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and throughout the island of Hainan, according to a circular jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce, the National Health Commission, and the National Medical Products Administration on further expanding pilot programs for opening up in the medical field.

The circular noted that the conditions, requirements and procedures for establishing these hospitals will be specified later. (Source: Xinhua)

• □　Aclidinium Bromide Powder for Inhalation (Brand; N/A) – marketed by Covis Pharma Europe B.V.
• □　Atracurium Besilate Injection (Brand; N/A) – marketed by Joint Stock Company “Kalceks”
• □　Benralizumab Injection (Brand; Fasenra) – marketed by AstraZeneca AB
• □　Enfortumab vedotin for Injection (Brand; PADCEV) – marketed by Astellas Pharma Europe B.V.
• □　Estradiol and Dydrogesterone Tablets (Brand; N/A) – marketed by Abbott B.V.
• □　Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for Injection (Brand; Enhertu) – new indication in HER2+ locally advanced or metastatic gastric or GEJ - marketed by Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH

• (Source: BaiPharm)

China's average life expectancy has reached a record high of 78.6 years, according to a report released Thursday by the National Health Commission.

Maternal mortality has dropped to 15.1 per 100,000, and infant mortality stands at a low of 4.5 per 1,000, says the statistical report on China's health development in 2023.

The report also reveals a steady increase in healthcare resources, with the total number of medical institutions rising to 1,070,785, the number of hospital beds reaching 10.17 million, and healthcare professionals totaling nearly 12.49 million by the end of 2023.

Additionally, medical services have seen significant improvement, with a total of 9.55 billion consultations recorded — an increase of 1.13 billion from the previous year — while the average resident visited medical facilities 6.8 times. (Source: Xinhua)

The National Health Commission, China's top health authority, will explore the possibility of granting nurses prescription powers, a policy that would bring convenience to patients and help retain nursing talent.

In a statement released on its website on Aug 20, the commission said it was responding to a proposal submitted by a deputy to the National People's Congress during the top legislature's annual meeting in March. The proposal called for formulating rules and regulations to give prescription authority to specialist nurses, allowing them to prescribe certain drugs and order diagnostic tests.

"The commission will fully research and analyze the necessity and significance of giving nurses prescribing powers," the commission said. "Based on extensive research and analysis, the commission will revise relevant regulations at appropriate times and improve related policies."

Prescription authority is currently restricted to registered physicians. "There is no legal basis for giving nurses prescribing rights at present," the commission said. "Nurses are only allowed to provide guidance in diets, workout plans and general disease and health knowledge to patients."

However, calls for expanding prescription powers to nurses have been growing in recent years to give their careers more significance and to improve the effectiveness of medical services. Yao Jianhong, a national political adviser and former Party chief of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, told CPPCC Daily, a newspaper affiliated with the nation's top political advisory body, that some developed countries allow nurses to write prescriptions, and some cities in China have launched trial programs.

In October, Shenzhen, in Guangdong province, put into effect a regulation that authorizes eligible nurses to order examinations, therapies and prescribe topical medications relevant to their area of expertise. According to the regulation, such prescriptions must be based on existing diagnoses issued by physicians, and eligible nurses should have a minimum of five years of work experience and must have attended a training program.

Hu Chunlian, head of the outpatient department at Yueyang People's Hospital in Yueyang, Hunan province, said that because specialist nurses cannot directly give prescriptions or order tests, patients have to book appointments with doctors and wait longer to receive medication.

Common cases involve patients who need certain drugs to treat wounds, as well as patients in need of stoma care or peripherally inserted central catheters, she told CN-healthcare, an online media outlet. "Expanding prescription authority to nurses is bound to be a trend in the future, because such a policy will brighten the career prospects of highly educated nurses and help retain talent," she said.

According to the commission, the number of registered nurses nationwide has been increasing by an average of 8 percent a year over the past decade, with about 300,000 new graduates entering the workforce each year. There are currently more than 5.6 million nurses working in China. (Source: China Daily)

Imported drugs:
□　BIMZELX (bimekizumab) – marketed by UCB Pharma S.A.
□　MOUNJARO (tirzepatide) – new indication - marketed by Eli Lilly and Company
□　SMYRAF (peficitinib) – marketed by Astellas Pharma Inc.
□　VONVENDI (vonicog alfa) – marketed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
□　VYVGART HYTRULO (efgartigimod alfa) – marketed by argenx BV
□　Methotrexate injection – marketed by Medac Gesellschaft für klinische Spezialpräparate mbH
□　Ursodeoxycholic acid oral suspension – marketed by Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH

Domestic drugs:
□　Bilessglu (chiglitazar) – new indication - marketed by Chengdu Chipscreen Pharmaceutical Ltd.
□　惠优加 - Hui You Jia (Insulin degludec and insulin aspart Injection) – marketed by Huisheng Bio-pharmacutical Co., Ltd.
□　泰爱 - Tai Ai (telitacicept) – new indication - marketed by RemeGen Co., Ltd.
□　泽元安 - Ze Yuan An (ganaxolone) – marketed by Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
□　Alfacalcidol drops – marketed by Hubei Jinluo Silk Cloth Co., Ltd.
□　Emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate tablets – marketed by Qilu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Entacapone tablets (II) – marketed by SJZ No.4 Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Frovatriptan tablet – marketed by C.P Pharmaceutical (Qingdao) Co. Ltd.
□　Irbesartan and amlodipine besilate tablets (I) and (III) – marketed by Jiangxi Shimei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Meropenem and sodium chloride injection – marketed by Hunan Kelun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Multi-trace elements injection (III) – marketed by Yangpu Jingtai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Vancomycin hydrochloride capsules – marketed by Speed Safety Healthy (Hangzhou) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
 
(Source: BaiPharm)

China's age-standardized 5-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined was 43.7% between 2019 and 2021, according to a report published in the Journal of the National Cancer Center. The survival rate increased by approximately seven percentage points compared to the previous decade, said the report.

The study findings show that China has met the Healthy China Program (2019-2030) interim goal of improving cancer outcomes, which is to achieve a 5-year cancer survival rate of 43.3% for all cancers combined by 2022.

The research team collected data from over 6.41 million newly diagnosed cancer patients from 281 cancer registries across China from 2008 to 2019. The researchers observed significant survival improvements for cancers of the lung, prostate, bone, uterus, breast, cervix, nasopharynx, larynx and bladder during the time between 2008 and 2019.

The improvement in cancer survival rates could be attributed to China's major healthcare reforms and technological advances which enabled earlier diagnosis, more effective treatment, and better cancer care management, said the report.

The study also found that eight types of cancer, including thyroid, breast, testis, bladder, prostate, kidney, uterus, and cervix had a 5-year survival rate of over 60%. Pancreatic cancer had the lowest survival rate (8.5%), while thyroid cancer had the highest survival rate (92.9%) among all the cancer types, according to the report. (Source: Xinhua)

China has released a list of healthcare reform tasks for 2024, including measures related to public healthcare services, the development of public hospitals and reform in relation to medicine.

At a national conference on China's health development and deepening healthcare reform that ended in late June, policymakers and practitioners discussed topics including public hospital reforms, medicine supply and medical insurance. The country will continue enhancing its public healthcare service capacity at the primary level, deepen reform of the payment system at public hospitals, and improve its healthcare insurance systems to better meet people's needs and reduce their medical costs, according to the document.

This year's reform will also give more weight to matters such as medical technological progress, multi-tiered diagnosis and treatment, and digitalized services, said Zhu Hongbiao, an official with the National Health Commission (NHC), at the conference.

Tackling high medical expenses has been an important part of China's medical and healthcare reforms. To that end, China has launched nine rounds of bulk drug procurement programs since 2018 and gradually expanded the price reform of medical services. It is expected that the bulk purchase program will cover 500 medications this year, and pilot price reforms of medical services will be carried out in three provincial-level regions.

Various reforms to optimize hospital services launched over the past decade have also achieved notable results. Long wait times for registration, medical examinations and settling hospital bills were once common grievances among patients. However, recent reforms have resulted in a remarkable transformation. According to the NHC, over 5,500 comprehensive hospitals now provide "one-stop" services, enabling 77.7% of hospitalized patients to settle their bills on the day of discharge.

Furthermore, mutual recognition of medical examination results has been achieved in most public hospitals, reducing the need for repetitive tests at different facilities.

Empowered by the internet, over 3,000 medical institutions in China offer medical and nursing services online for those unable to visit in person, data from the NHC revealed. (Source: CGTN)

China has seen declining incidence rates of hepatitis B and related hepatocellular carcinoma, according to Chinese health authorities.

China has achieved significant progress in increasing the rate of hepatitis B vaccination, containing new hepatitis B infections, and preventing and controlling HCC related to hepatitis B, said Li Bin, deputy head of the National Health Commission, at a conference on the matter on Saturday. Data shows that China's three-dose hepatitis B vaccination rate among newborns has been maintained at over 95% and reached the 2030 goal set by the World Health Organization.

In 2022, around 367,700 new cases of liver cancer were reported in China, with a standardized incidence rate of approximately 15.03 per 100,000 people, revealing a downward trend when compared to historical data.

Zhuang Hui, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has called for continued efforts to improve hepatitis B diagnosis and treatment rates. The key to eliminating hepatitis B and reducing its mortality rate is vaccinating susceptible adults that do not have immunity against the virus and other groups at risk, Zhuang suggested.

China still faces challenges as it works toward the goal of eliminating hepatitis B by 2030, Li said, adding that more will be done to promote vaccination and optimize testing strategies. (Source: Xinhua)

With half its adult population now rated as overweight or obese, China is promoting weight control through a new public awareness campaign. Launched by the National Health Commission (NHC) this week, the campaign encapsulates weight-control knowledge into eight catchy slogans emphasizing lifelong commitment, active monitoring, a balanced diet, physical activity, good sleep, reasonable targets and family action.

It is part of a three-year government program to help more Chinese people adopt a healthier lifestyle. "Obesity and overweight are a major public health issue," said Guo Yanhong, director of the Health Emergency Response Office of the NHC. "We must intervene and improve the situation."

The government's active intervention highlights a harsh reality: the nation that struggled to feed its people half a century ago is now fighting an uphill battle against excess weight among the population, as living conditions have improved significantly. As an indicator of the gravity of the issue, data shows that 19% of minors aged 6 to 17 and 10% of children under 6 are overweight or obese.

Epidemiologists attributed the problem to substantial changes in Chinese people's dietary patterns, with increased consumption of animal-source foods, refined grains and highly processed, high-sugar and high-fat foods, while physical activity levels have decreased with increasing sedentary behaviors. Obesity and overweight are major risk factors for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. "Strong evidence from prospective cohort studies has linked overweight and obesity to increased risks of major non-communicable diseases and premature mortality in Chinese populations," said a paper published by The Lancet in 2021.

The government has acted on the problem. Healthy China 2030, a comprehensive national strategy and vision for improving public health and healthcare issued in 2016, explicitly lists curbing overweight and obesity as a major goal, with detailed measures introduced. Guidelines for obesity prevention and control among adults and children have been released, and the "15-minute fitness circles" program, which aims to provide accessible sports facilities within a 15-minute walking or cycling distance from residential areas, is being expanded. Sports facilities across the country have grown rapidly, with the per capita sports area reaching 2.89 square meters in 2023. The total length of fitness trails reached 371,000 kilometers, a 107% increase compared to 2019. To promote healthy diets, provinces such as the rice-producing Heilongjiang are encouraging restaurants and canteens to cut patrons' consumption of salt, cooking oil and alcohol. (Source: Xinhua)

 
Imported drugs:
 
□　Alecensa (alectinib) - new indication - marketed by Roche Registration GmbH
□　Awiqli (insulin icodec) - marketed by Novo Nordisk A/S
□　Budesonide, glycopyrronium bromide and formoterol fumarate inhalation aerosol - marketed by AstraZeneca AB
□　DOPTELET (avatrombopag maleate) - new indication - marketed by AkaRx Inc.
□　Esperoct (turoctocog alfa pegol) - marketed by Novo Nordisk A/S
□　Glucagon nasal powder - marketed by Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
□　Icosapent ethyl soft capsules - marketed by Amarin Pharmaceuticals Ireland Ltd.
□　Jakavi (ruxolitinib) - new indication - marketed by Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG
□　Keytruda (pembrolizumab) - new indication - marketed by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
□　Methylthioninium chloride enteric-coated sustained-release tablets - marketed by Alfasigma S.p.A.
□　ORKEDIA (eocalcet) - marketed by Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.
□　Ozempic (semaglutide) - new indication - marketed by Novo Nordisk Pharma AG
□　REXULTI (brexpiprazole) - marketed by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.，Ltd.
□　Tabrecta (capmatinib) - marketed by Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG
□　TAGRISSO (osimertinib mesylate) - new indication - marketed by AstraZeneca AB
□　Tarlige (mirogabalin besilate) - marketed by DAIICHI SANKYO CO., LTD.
□　TECVAYLI (teclistamab) - marketed by Janssen-Cilag International NV
□　XPOVIO (selinexor) - new indication - marketed by Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.
□　XTANDI (enzalutamide) - new indication - marketed by Astellas Pharma Europe B.V.

 
 
Domestic drugs:
 
□　安洛晴-An Luo Qing (envonalkib citrate) - marketed by Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.
□　百斯锐明-Bai Si Rui Ming (ropeginterferon alfa-2b) – marketed by PharmaEssentia Corporation
□　百泽安-Bai ze An (tislelizumab) – new indication - marketed by BeiGene Ltd.
□　倍长平-Bei Chang Ping (cofrogliptin) - marketed by Haisco Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.
□　贝塔宁-BETAGRIN (bevifibatide citrate) - marketed by Bio-Thera Solutions Inc.
□　Brivaracetam tablets - marketed by Qingfeng Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd.
□　Calcipotriol scalp solution - marketed by Sinomune Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Calcitriol injection - marketed by Chengdu Gowell Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Carbidopa and levodopa sustained-release tablets - marketed by SJZ No.4 Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Cetirizine hydrochloride injection - marketed by Shandong Cosci Med-tech Co., Ltd.
□　恩立妥-En Li Tuo (cetuximab beta) – marketed by Taizhou Mabtech Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
□　恩舒幸-En Shu Xing (enlonstobart) - marketed by CSPC Megalith Biopharmaceutial Co., Ltd.
□　Estradiol valerate tablets - marketed by Zhejiang Xianju Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Fexofenadine hydrochloride for suspension - marketed by Jumpcan Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.
□　高瑞哲-Gao Rui Zhe (golidocitinib) - marketed by Dizal Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.
□　克瑞毕-Ke Ru Bi (zamerovimab and mazorelvimab) - marketed by Synermore Biologics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
□　Levofloxacin oral solution - marketed by Hubei Jinluo Silk Cloth Co., Ltd.
□　Metformin hydrochloride and empagliflozin tablets (VI) - marketed by Qilu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Naltrexone hydrochloride implants - marketed by SciencienCare Pharmaceutical Technology Co.,Ltd.
□　Olmesartan medoxomil orally disintegrating tablets - marketed by ApicHope Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Oxycodone hydrochloride and naloxone hydrochloride sustained-release tablets - marketed by Shandong Luye Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Palbociclib tablets - marketed by CSPC Ouyi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□ Perfluoropropane-albumin microspheres for injection - marketed by Xiamen Lizhuo Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Phloroglucinol orally disintegrating tablets - marketed by Renhe Yikang Group Co., Ltd.
□　Pregabalin orally disintegrating tablets - marketed by DiQi Pharmaceuticals Co.,Ltd.
□　Progesterone injection (II) - marketed by Changchun GeneScience Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Rivastigmine bitartrate oral solution - marketed by Shandong Loncom Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Rotigotine microspheres for injection - marketed by Luye Jiaao (Shijiazhuang) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　瑞沁-Rui Qin (henagliflozin proline) – new indication - marketed by Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
□　Salmeterol xinafoate and fluticasone propionate powder for inhalation - marketed by Joincare Pharmaceutical Group Industry Co., Ltd.
□　圣瑞沙-Sheng Rui Sha (rilertinib mesylate) - marketed by Nanjing Sanhome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Sodium dihydrogen phosphate and disodium hydrogen phosphate granules - marketed by Harvest(Hunan) Pharmaceuticals Co.,Ltd.
□　Tafamidis meglumine soft capsules - marketed by Qilu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Technetium [⁹⁹ᵐTc] tetrofosmin injection - marketed by Nanjing JYAMS Electronic Research & Development Co., Ltd.
□　Telmisartan and amlodipine tablets - marketed by Jiangxi Shimei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　Ticagrelor dispersible tablets - marketed by Honghe Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
□　拓益-Tuo Yi (toripalimab) – new indication - marketed by Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd.
□　Valganciclovir hydrochloride tablets - marketed by Shanghai Zhongxi Sunve Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.
□　信立汀-Xin Li Ting (fultagliptin benzoate) - marketed by Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
 
(Source: BaiPharm)

China has approved 82 innovative drugs and 138 innovative medical devices since 2022, a health official said on Friday. Huang Guo, deputy director of the National Medical Products Administration, said that from January to May of this year, a total of 20 innovative medicines and 21 innovative medical equipment have gained market approval on the mainland. "Among them are CAR-T therapy and monoclonal antibodies that use novel biotechnologies, novel traditional Chinese medicine products, artificial hearts that based on full magnetic levitation technology and CT scan examination software incorporating artificial intelligence," he said during a news conference held by the State Council Information Office. "The quantity and quality of innovative drugs in China are both at a leading level globally," he said.

To accelerate market approval of innovative drugs, vaccines and those in urgent need, Huang said that the administration has devised four expedited, special channels, and assigned dedicated personnel or devised targeted policies to communicate with drug manufacturers. Last year, the administration approved 45 rare diseases drugs, compared with three in 2022. In the first five months of this year, the administration granted market approval to 24 rare disease medicines. Moreover, Huang said that China's drug approval standards have now aligned with the international standard, facilitating foreign drugmakers to apply for market approval more promptly.

The State Council released a guideline on June 6, laying out key tasks for deepening healthcare reform for this year. The document said that the country will continue to accelerate examination and approval of innovative or urgent drugs and medical devices, rare disease therapeutics as well as medical equipment related to infectious disease control. (Source: ChinaDaily)

•  
• Imported drugs:
• □　Botulinum toxin type A for injection marketed by AbbVie Limited
• □　Fludrocortisone acetate tablets marketed by ASPEN PHARMA TRADING LIMITED
• □　Lidocaine cataplasms marketed by Teikoku Pharma USA, Inc.
• □　Octreotide acetate injection (Brand name: Sandostatin) marketed by Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG
• □　Pitolisant hydrochloride tablets marketed by Bioprojet Pharma
• □　Repotrectinib capsules (Brand name: Augtyro) marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
• □　Sulbactam sodium / durlobactam sodium injection (Brand name: Xacduro) marketed by Entasis Therapeutics, Inc.
• □　Tirzepatide Injection (Brand name: Mounjaro) marketed by Eli Lilly and Company

• Domestic drugs:
• □　Allisartan isoproxil and amlodipine besylate tablets (Brand name: 复立坦 (Fu Li Tan)) marketed by Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
• □　Anlotinib hydrochloride capsules (Brand name: 福可维 (Fu Ke Wei)) marketed by CTTQ Pharma
• □　Compound sodium acetate and glucose injection marketed by En Tai Pharmaceutical
• □　Crisugabalin besilate capsules (Brand name: 思美宁 (Si Mei Ning)) marketed by Haisco Pharmaceutical Group
• □　Denosumab injection (Brand name: 博洛加 (Bo Luo Jia)) marketed by Boan Biotech
• □　Esomeprazole magnesium and sodium bicarbonate capsules marketed by Encheng Group
• □　Fluocinolone acetonide, hydroquinone and tretinoin cream marketed by Zhejiang Fonow Medicine Co., Ltd.
• □　Fluzoparib capsules (Brand name: 艾瑞颐 (Ai Rui Yi)) marketed by Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
• □　Human prothrombin complex marketed by Weiguang Biological
• □　Ivonescimab injection (Brand name: 依达方 (Yi Da Fang)) marketed by Akeso, Inc.
• □　Lansoprazole and sodium bicarbonate capsules marketed by Encheng Group
• □　Metoprolol succinate sustained-release capsules marketed by Cisen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Mixed protamine zinc recombinant insulin lispro injection (50R) marketed by Wanbang Biopharma
• □　Rezivertinib mesylate capsules (Brand name: 瑞必达 (Rui Bi Da)) marketed by Beta Pharma
• □　Tacrolimus granules marketed by Huadong Medicine Co., Ltd.
• □　Zanubrutinib capsules (Brand name: 百悦泽 (Brukinsa)) marketed by BeiGene, Ltd.

• (Source: BaiPharm)

China records more than 100,000 new cervical cancer cases and around 50,000 related deaths annually. The country also sees an incidence rate that is much higher than four per 100,000 — the threshold determined by the WHO as proof of elimination of the disease.

Qiao Youlin, a professor at the School of Population Medicine and Public Health at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, said "Through prompt detection and treatment during the process, we can prevent related deaths. However, in less developed regions with poor screening capacity and low health awareness, many women are diagnosed at a late stage and succumb to the disease."

Zhu Lan, head of the obstetrics and gynecology department at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said that with China's vast territory, it is difficult to improve screening skills in remote areas to the level of major urban hospitals. "Using artificial intelligence and other new technologies to aid screening and diagnosis will be an important approach to controlling cervical cancer in those regions," she said. In addition to beefing up early screening, experts also emphasized expanding coverage of HPV vaccines, which fight the cancer-causing human papillomavirus.

China launched a trial program in 15 cities in 2021 that entails free HPV vaccinations and other innovative approaches, aiming to rein in the incidence of cancer. Since then, nine provincial-level regions have offered HPV vaccines for eligible girls, according to the National Health Commission. Chen Zhao, an official at the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention, said that the number of HPV doses delivered domestically has been rising steadily, with more than 58 million shots administered nationwide last year.

According to a study released this month by researchers from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local CDC researchers in Fujian province, the annual number of administered HPV doses across the nation has been rising steadily since 2017, when China first approved HPV vaccines for use on the mainland. As of 2022, coverage of the first HPV vaccination dose rose to 10.1%, and three-dose coverage increased to 6%. However, both numbers were lower than the global average, which was estimated in 2019 to stand at 25% for the first dose and 15% for three doses. There is also a large shortfall from the WHO's target of achieving 90% full vaccination among girls under age 15 by 2030, the study said.

The study said that the introduction of two domestically developed HPV vaccines in 2019 and 2022 could help alleviate a shortage of vaccine supplies. It also recommends incorporating HPV vaccines into China's free national immunization program. "This should involve implementing routine vaccinations to rapidly increase coverage among a wide range of ages, reduce regional disparities and ensure equitable access to this important vaccine," it said. (Source: China Daily)

• Imported drugs:
• □　Baricitinib tablets (Brand name: OLUMIANT) marketed by Eli Lilly Nederland B.V.
• □　Cabotegravir injection marketed by ViiV Healthcare BV
• □　Cabotegravir sodium tablets marketed by ViiV Healthcare BV
• □　Faricimab injection (Brand name: VABYSMO) marketed by Roche Pharma (Schweiz) AG
• □　Human follitropin delta injection (Brand name: Rekovelle) marketed by Ferring Pharmaceuticals A/S
• □　Iptacopan hydrochloride capsules (Brand name: FABHALTA) marketed by Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG
• □　Mavacamten capsules (Brand name: CAMZYOS) marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty Ltd.
• □　Nicorandil for injection marketed by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.
• □　Perampanel tablets (Brand name: Fycompa) marketed by Eisai Europe Limited
• □　Rituximab subcutaneous injection marketed by Roche Pharma (Schweiz) AG
•  
•  
• Domestic drugs:
• □　Benmelstobart injection (TQB2450) (Brand name: 安得卫 (An De Wei)) marketed by CTTQ Pharma
• □　Bisoprolol fumarate and amlodipine besilate tablets marketed by Chengdu Shuode Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Chidamide tablets (Brand name: 爱谱沙 (Epidaza)) marketed by Chipscreen Biosciences
• □　Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride nasal spray (Brand name: 特美定 (Te Mei Ding)) marketed by Sichuan Purity Pharmaceutical Co., LTD.
• □　Entinostat tablets (Brand name: 景助达 (Jing Zhu Da)) marketed by EOC Pharma
• □　Human thyrotropin injection marketed by Suzhou Smartnuclide Biopharmaceutical Company
• □　Isavuconazonium sulfate for injection marketed by ASK Pharm
• □　Letermovir tablets marketed by CTTQ Pharma
• □　Linezolid oral suspension marketed by SSY Group Limited
• □　Metformin hydrochloride and empagliflozin tablets (III) marketed by Deyuan Pharm
• □　Oxcarbazepine oral suspension marketed by ApicHope Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Penpulimab injection (Brand name: 安尼可 (An Ni Ke)) marketed by CTTQ Pharma
• □　Recombinant human thrombopoietin injection (Brand name: 特比澳 (Te Bi Ao)) marketed by 3SBio Group
• □　Tislelizumab injection (Brand name: 百泽安 (Bai Ze An)) marketed by BeiGene, Ltd.
• □　Toripalimab injection (Brand name: 拓益 (Tuo Yi)) marketed by Junshi Biosciences
• □　Unecritinib fumarate capsules (Brand name: 安柏尼 (An Bo Ni)) marketed by CTTQ Pharma
• □　Vebreltinib enteric capsules (Brand name: 万比锐 (Wan Bi Rui)) marketed by Beijing Purun'ao Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
• (Source: BaiPharm)

China's health literacy has steadily risen and reached 29.7% in 2023, up 1.92 percentage points from the previous year, according to the National Health Commission (NHC) on Wednesday. A NHC survey revealed that the health literacy among Chinese urban residents was 33.25%, and that in rural areas was 26.23%, increasing by 1.31 and 2.45 percentage points, respectively.

Health literacy is an important indicator of economic and social development and people's health level. The NHC monitored health literacy based on people's awareness of health-related problems, including safety and first-aid, medical care as well as chronical and infectious disease prevention and control. (Source: Xinhua)

Thanks to China's drug centralized procurement drive, diabetes patients have access to more affordable and advanced insulin injections, said the National Healthcare Security Administration on Wednesday. China rolled out a bulk buy program targeting insulin injections in late 2021, leading to an average price cut of 48 percent. Insulin products chosen by the program became available at reduced prices in May 2022.

The administration said that about 650 million insulin doses involved in the program have been used at public hospitals nationwide since then. The annual usage amount has reached 350 million, compared with 250 million before the program was launched. "The data suggests that as the financial burden of medications has been alleviated, diabetes patients have easier access to insulin therapies and have complied with standard regimens more strictly," said the administration. The program has also narrowed price differences between advanced, third-generation insulin products and older versions. "The usage ratio of third-generation insulin doses rose from 58 to 78 percent after the program, nearing the level seen in European countries," it said.

The administration also stressed that the bulk buy program is aimed at curbing excessively high drug prices and guiding drugmakers to propose reasonable prices, while the massive domestic market also promises them large contracts. Some industry participants have hyped up the perception that centralized procurement is all about soliciting the lowest bids, resulting in a misunderstanding that the bulk buy drive would affect drug quality due to extremely low prices. The administration said that mainstream pharmaceuticals have all won bids during the program and the overall insulin price in China has dropped to relatively low prices compared to the global average. (Source: China Daily)

China has unified the catalog of medicines covered by medical insurance across the country to ensure that all medicines in the catalog are placed under a unified management and payment policy. This measure is driven not only by fairness but also aims to streamline the process of settling medical expenses where they are incurred, said Huang Xinyu, an official of the National Healthcare Security Administration, at a press conference on Thursday.

The official added that since its inception in 2018, the National Healthcare Security Administration has continuously made dynamic adjustments to the catalog of medicines covered by medical insurance, including adding over 700 new medicines to the list. To date, the catalog has included about 3,900 kinds of medicines, covering both Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, accounting for over 90 percent of the total expenditure on medicine purchases in public hospitals, according to Huang.

Huang said the administration is also working to make medicines more affordable through multiple means, including negotiation. During the first two months of this year, medical insurance funds had paid over 15 billion yuan (about $2.11 billion) for 397 kinds of medicines covered by price agreements, benefiting 39.5 million people. (Source: Xinhua)

China's healthcare security system provided medical assistance to 250 million patients in 2023, according to the country's National Healthcare Security Administration. The medical assistance program, a key part of China's healthcare security system that ensures basic medical services for the vulnerable population, was piloted in the country's rural and urban areas in 2003 and 2005, respectively.

According to the administration, China's medical assistance funds increased from 1.38 billion yuan ($194.5 million) in 2005 to 74.5 billion yuan in 2023. The medical assistance program has expanded its coverage to a wider group of individuals. Through 20 years of development, the program has honed its targeting methods and made them more efficient, it added.

Currently, in most parts of China, patients living on subsistence allowance or in extreme poverty no longer need to pay a minimum medical bill amount, as required in the past, to receive medical assistance. Furthermore, the medical assistance funds now account for a higher ratio of the medical costs, according to the administration. (Source: Xinhua)

Around 11.56 million urban and rural residents in China benefited from the country's major disease insurance in 2023, which eased the burden on individuals by 7,924 yuan (about 1,117 US dollars) on average, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration.

China has established a three-tier healthcare security system comprising basic medical insurance, major disease insurance and medical assistance to mitigate the economic risks posed by medical expenditure. The nearly 1 billion individuals covered by basic medical insurance are also covered by the major disease insurance, and are exempt from extra fees.

Currently, the minimum payment standard for major disease insurance in a certain locality should be no higher than 50% of the per capita disposable income of local residents in the previous year, and the reimbursement rate should not be lower than 60% of their medical bills. The reimbursement rate for recipients of minimum subsistence allowances, people with special difficulties and people who fall into or fall back into poverty should be 5 percentage points higher. (Source: Xinhua)

• Imported drugs:
•  □　Anakinra injection (Brand name: Kineret) marketed by Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) – newly approved for the treatment of Still’s disease.
• □　Spesolimab injection (Brand name: Spevigo) marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
• □　Sugemalimab injection (Brand name: Cejemly) marketed by Pfizer Investment Co., Ltd. - Newly approved in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy as a first-time treatment for unresectable locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma with a PD-L1 expression.
•  
•  
•  
• Domestic drugs:
• □　Atropine sulfate eye drops marketed by Shenyang Sinqi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Calcium acetate oral solution marketed by Shandong Loncom Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Thiotepa for injection marketed by Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
• □　Tunlametinib capsules (Brand name: 科露平 (Ke Lu Ping)) marketed by Kechow Pharma
•  
• (Source: BaiPharm)

China has improved treatments for high-risk pregnancies and stepped-up screenings of congenital birth defects in recent years, as part of efforts to deal with the rising number of older mothers and an emphasis put on quality care for newborns, the National Health Commission said this week.

Shen Haiping, deputy director of the commission's department of maternal and child health, said at a recent news conference that the proportions of women at an advanced maternal age — widely defined as those over age 35 — and women who have previously given birth are rising due to women choosing to have babies later and shifts in the nation's family planning policy. Official data shows that the average marital age of women rose from 22 years old in the 1980s to 26.3 in 2020. It also shows that women are also giving birth to their first children later, at the average age of 27.2.

In May 2021, China began allowing all married couples to have up to three children. Meanwhile, the nation has managed to continue lowering maternal and infant mortalities, Shen said. Last year, its maternal mortality rate fell nearly 11% from 2020 to 15.1 per 100,000 live births, and its infant mortality rate decreased about 17% during the same period to 4.5 per 1,000 live births, she said.

Shen said that more effort will be made to carry out pregnancy risk assessments and categorize and manage pregnant women based on their risk levels. It is also important to formulate individualized treatment plans for those deemed to be in dangerous conditions. She added that nearly 3,500 treatment centers for seriously ill pregnant women, as well as about 3,320 centers for infants in critical condition, have been set up nationwide, signifying that a comprehensive and coordinated treatment network for pregnant women and newborns has been established.

Amid a drive toward building a birth-friendly society and promoting a long-term balanced population, authorities have also emphasized preventing birth defects. Shen said that the mortality rate of infants due to birth defects and that of children under age 5 have both fallen over 30% compared to five years ago.

Nationwide, the rate of pre-pregnancy examinations has reached nearly 92%, and the rate of prenatal screenings during pregnancy has also exceeded 88%. Among newborns, the screening rates of genetic metabolic diseases and hearing impairments have surpassed 98%, according to Shen.

"Screenings targeting phenylketonuria (a rare inherited disorder that can cause brain damage) are being carried out nationwide to detect infants born with the disease as soon as possible," she said. "Special milk formula that can lessen the disease's impact on intelligence will be delivered to newborns who have the disease, and most patients receiving early treatment can develop nearly normal intelligent capabilities eventually." Shen said that the commission will build more screening and diagnosis facilities for birth defects and step up rehabilitation services to safeguard the health of children.

Li Jie, head of the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital's prenatal diagnosis center, said during an interview with Xinhua Daily, a newspaper in Jiangsu province, that pre-pregnancy examinations that aim to identify potential risks of congenital disorders, and prenatal screenings that can discover most congenital heart diseases, cleft lip and palate and other malformations have formed the first two lines of defense. "But no screening techniques can guarantee 100% accuracy, and there is the possibility of false negatives or false positives," she said. "For newborns that were born with defects, we can also deliver timely treatment as a third layer of defense. "For instance, newborns who are found with congenital deafness will be fitted with cochlear implants promptly to prevent lifelong hearing loss," she said. (Source: China Daily)

China's centralized procurement drive, which has slashed the price of heart stents by more than 90%, has also accelerated the adoption of state-of-the-art products and helped expand access to stent implantation surgeries, the National Healthcare Security Administration said this week.

Coronary stents, tiny tubes used to open blocked arteries in people suffering from heart disease or who have been hit by an acute heart attack, used to cost around 13,000 yuan ($1,800) each, with imported ones costing nearly 20,000 yuan. The high price — largely due to marketing and distribution expenses — strained the pockets of many patients, especially those who required two or more stents. To address public concerns, the administration's first bulk buy program targeting high-value medical consumables focused on coronary stents. The program, launched in November 2020, aimed to squeeze out intermediate costs and entice manufacturers to cut prices to win bids for volume contracts.

It eventually led to an average price cut of 93%, with the price of each stent falling to 700 to 800 yuan. But the dramatic price reduction has also triggered doubts over the quality of the more affordable products, their availability at hospitals and manufacturers' production capacity to meet bulk demand. The administration said on Monday that from 2021 to last year, the number of coronary stents supplied through the bulk buy program that were used on patients grew by 17% a year. That matched the nationwide increase in coronary intervention surgeries. "The majority of patients in need now opt for stents involved in the bulk buy program and over 95% of stents used across the nation are such products," it said. "In total, about 3.7 million patients used these stents from 2021 to 2023.”

"Clinical experts also said that nearly all mainstream products in the market have been selected and there is barely any need for medical institutions to change the regular brands they use. There is also no change in these products' clinical efficacy." The administration said the ratio of chromium alloy drug-eluting stents — a relatively advanced type compared to bare metal or stainless-steel stents — in use rose from 60% to 95%, signifying an upgrade in product usage by Chinese patients.

Nationwide, the number of medical institutions that carry out stent implantation surgeries grew from 2,400 in 2020 to 3,600 last year. Among them, the number of secondary hospitals — the middle level in a three-tier system — rose from 1,200 to 1,700. (Source: China daily)

Worldwide, the obesity rates for adults more than doubled between 1990 and 2022, and quadrupled among children and adolescents, according to new study results released by the medical journal The Lancet. The total number of people living with obesity has surpassed 1 billion globally, according to the Lancet's analysis, released ahead of World Obesity Day, which fell on March 4. The growing burden of obesity has deeply affected China, as the proportion of female adults considered obese jumped around fourfold, while the proportion of male adults who are obese surged elevenfold. In 2022, the rate stood at 7.8 percent for Chinese women and 8.9 percent for Chinese men, according to the study.

Obesity is more prominent among younger people in China. The country's obesity rate for girls increased from 0.6% in 1990 to 7.7% in 2022, and rose from 1.3% to 15.2% in 2022 for boys, the study found. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, said, "This new study highlights the importance of preventing and managing obesity from early life to adulthood through diet, physical activity and adequate care, as needed."

While poor diet, lack of physical activity and genetics all play a role in obesity, the National Health Commission, China's top health authority, said earlier this year that unbalanced diet and eating habits, as well as inappropriate infant feeding practices, are fundamental factors leading to the condition.

Hu Jiajin, a professor at Chinese Medical University's Institute of Health Sciences, said that diet, workout habits and other lifestyle choices are closely linked to the risk of obesity. For children, weight gain during their mother's pregnancy, regularly skipping breakfast, excessive intake of sweet foods and drinks, lack of physical activities and insufficient sleep can all add to the risk of becoming obese, he said. "It is important to pool and coordinate resources from all sectors of society to tackle obesity," Hu said.

Wang Yishu, deputy director of Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital's internal medicine department and a top political adviser, said that while public awareness of managing weight is growing, more efforts are needed to improve and formulate uniform protocols for diagnosis and treatment of obesity. "I suggested setting up a national-level clinical diagnosis and treatment committee targeting obesity and gathering sporadic obesity-related guidelines into a standard protocol," Wang said in an interview with China Central Television during this year's recently concluded two sessions — the annual gatherings in Beijing of China's top legislative and political advisory bodies. She added that hospitals should build multidisciplinary centers covering the fields of nutrition, exercise psychology and drug use for obesity, just like the diabetes centers found in many regions. (Source: China Daily)

• Imported drugs:
•  □　Abrocitinib tablets (Brand name: CIBINQO) marketed by Pfizer Inc. - Newly approved for adolescents (12 and above).
• □　Botulinum toxin type A for injection (Brand name: Xeomin) marketed by Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH
• □　Crovalimab injection (Brand name: Piasky) marketed by Roche Pharma (Schweiz) AG
• □　Entrectinib capsules (Brand name: Rozlytrek) marketed by Roche Pharma (Schweiz) AG - Newly approved for solid tumors that have a NTRK gene fusion in pediatric patients older than 1 month of age.
• □　Susoctocog alfa for injection (Brand name: OBIZUR) marketed by: Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
• □　Teduglutide injection (Brand name: Revestive) marketed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG Ireland Branch
• □　Zinc acetate tablets (Brand name: Nobelzin) marketed by Nobelpharma Co., Ltd.
•  
•  
• Domestic drugs:
• □　Adapalene and clindamycin hydrochloride gel marketed by Zhaoke Ophthalmology
• □　Anagrelide hydrochloride capsules marketed by Heilongjiang Timehome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Furosemide oral solution marketed by Chengdu Brilliant Pharmaceutical Company
• □　Isosulfan blue injection (Brand name: 博林兰 (Bo Lin Lan)) marketed by Guangdong Hepoer Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　ω-3 fish oil medium and long chain fat emulsion/amino acid (16)/glucose (16%) injection marketed by Sichuan Kelun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Zevorcabtagene autoleucel injection (Brand name: 赛恺泽 (Sai Kai Ze)) marketed by Kaixing Life Science (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

• (Source: BaiPharm)

• Imported drugs:
•  □　Galcanezumab injection (Brand name: Emgality) marketed by Eli Lilly Nederland B.V.
• □　Itraconazole oral solution marketed by Hwang's Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Lecanemab injection (Brand name: Leqembi) marketed by Eisai Inc.
• □　Recombinant Human Papillomavirus 9-Valent Vaccine (Brand name: GARDASIL 9) marketed by: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC - Newly approved as two doses in women aged 9-14 years old.
• □　Rimegepant sulfate orally disintegrating tablets (Brand name: NURTEC) marketed by Pfizer Inc.
• □　Semaglutide tablet (Brand name: Rybelsus) marketed by Novo Nordisk A/S

• Domestic drugs:
• □　Amlodipine besilate for suspension marketed by ApicHope Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd
• □　Diazoxide oral suspension marketed by Yifan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Ebastine oral solution marketed by Hunan Pudao Pharmaceutical Technology, subsidiary of Jiudian Pharmaceutical
• □　Eltrombopag olamine tablets marketed by: Kelun Industry Group / Qilu Pharmaceutical / CTTQ Pharma / Jiangsu Aosaikang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Ganagliflozin proline tablets (Brand name: 惠优静 (Hui You Jing)) marketed by Huisheng Pharm
• □　Iruplinalkib tablets (Brand name: 启欣可 (Qi Xin Ke)) marketed by Qilu Pharmaceutical - Newly approved for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic ALK-positive NSCLC.
• □　Itraconazole oral solution marketed by Hefei Chengzhi Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• □　Sevelamer carbonate for suspension marketed by Hangzhou Anprime Biopharm Co., Ltd
• □　Tegileridine fumarate injection (Brand name: 艾苏特 (Ai Su Te)) marketed by: Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

• (Source: BaiPharm)

An organ transplant technique adopted by a Chinese hospital has garnered widespread attention for its potential in solving the problem of donor organ ischemic injury in organ transplantation surgery. Ischemia-free organ transplantation (IFOT), a technique pioneered by Professor He Xiaoshun at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong province, was applied in a surgery carried out last December. Organ transplant experts from Germany, the United States, and the World Health Organization (WHO) met at the hospital to observe the liver transplant operation.

In traditional organ transplantation, donor organs are perfused rapidly to obtain them, preserved with ice, transported, and then implanted into the patient. During the process, the blood supply to the organs is interrupted completely, leading to unavoidable ischemic damage and compromising the quality of the organs.

The team has dedicated in solving the problem of donor organ ischemic injury in traditional organ transplantation surgery for years. In 2016, the team developed a "multi-organ normothermic perfusion device," which can simulate the human body to provide blood and nutrition for the donor organ. It has, for the first time, made the ex vivo multi-organ remain "fresh" for a long time. With the help of this device, He's team successfully carried out the first ischemia-free liver, kidney, and heart transplants worldwide in 2017, 2019, and 2021, respectively.

Compared with traditional transplantation, the new technology has significantly reduced post-operative complications and improved the utilization of organs. The relevant research results were also published in international medical journals and academic conferences, arousing widespread attention in this field. "They have shown that the technology is safe and can solve the problems we are facing," said Bjorn Nashan, former president of the German Transplantation Society, who has been to Guangzhou more than once to observe the surgery.

Optimistic about the future of organ transplantation in China, Nashan moved to China in 2017 to work as director of the organ transplant center at a hospital. Nashan said he hoped to work with the Chinese team to bring the technology to Germany and other countries in the future. "Professor He and his team have demonstrated that they are at the cutting edge in organ transplantation. The technology can be promoted to regions within and outside China through cooperation," said John Fung, president-elect of the Transplantation Society.

"The innovations and surgical techniques have increased the possibility of utilizing more organs, especially those not in good condition and that otherwise may have been rejected, thus maximizing the potential of donor organs," said Efstratios Chatzixiros, adviser on transplantation (organs, tissues, cells) at the WHO. (Source: Xinhua)