New bulk procurement cycle includes 65 drugs

China's 12th nationwide centralized drug procurement round has selected 65 types of essential medicines, which will enable patients to gain access to the lower-priced drugs by the end of the year, the National Healthcare Security Administration said on Friday.

The chosen medicines cover a broad range of therapeutic areas, including anti-infectives, oncology, treatments for blood clots, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, rheumatology and immunology, as well as anti-inflammatory and pain relief therapies.

Since the centralized procurement program was launched in 2018, China has organized 12 cycles, covering a total of 555 types of medicines, according to the administration.

In line with the program, pharmaceutical companies offer price reductions in exchange for large-volume supply contracts with public hospitals. A total of 45,000 medical institutions submitted procurement demand in the latest round.

The bidding process, held in Shanghai on Friday, included 859 pharmaceutical products from 495 drugmakers.

Preliminary results released on Friday evening showed that 521 products from 327 drugmakers secured winning bids.

The administration said the procurement process prioritized products from manufacturers with strong clinical recognition, reliable quality and stable supply capacity, covering both domestic and overseas companies.

The program also encouraged rational market competition. On average, each drug category attracted 15 bidders, while the most competitive category drew as many as 49 companies.

To safeguard drug quality, the administration said selected medicines are prohibited from having their packaging downgraded or altered during the procurement period to prevent any potential impact on drug stability.

Additionally, overseas manufacturers of generic drugs are now required to submit proof that their products comply with China's drug regulatory standards.

To improve access to lower-cost medicines at the grassroots level, the administration has encouraged smaller primary healthcare institutions to form procurement consortia and jointly submit purchasing demand.

Xu Ming, chief physician of the Department of Kidney Transplantation at Zhongshan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University, said patients who undergo kidney transplantation require lifelong anti-rejection medication and face risks including hypertension, diabetes and metabolic disorders.

He said the latest procurement round includes three major categories of anti-rejection drugs, along with a range of other medicines commonly used in clinical practice.

"Mainstream manufacturers of these medicines have participated in the bidding, helping establish a diversified supply system," he said.

Jiang Changsong, a researcher at the national institute of healthcare security of Capital Medical University, said the procurement rules have been refined to ensure the continuous availability of drugs, provide a broader range of treatment options and better meet the needs of medical institutions at different levels.

The revised rules also encourage companies to compete on the basis of cost efficiency, product quality and brand reputation, rather than relying solely on price reductions.