ZCZC
BFF-41
CHINA-CANCER-MEDICAL-INSURANCE
China to include more cancer drugs on medical insurance list
BEIJING, Aug. 4,2018 (BSS/XINHUA) — China will make more cancer drugs
affordable, as a new round of negotiations between the country’s state
medical insurance administration and pharmaceutical companies to add such
drugs to the medical insurance list is scheduled to finish by the end of
September.
The administration said it has selected a range of drugs to be added and
is confirming the producers’ willingness to further negotiate.
All of these drugs are of great clinical value and will bring huge
benefits to patients with different blood cancers or solid tumors, including
colorectal cancer, renal cell carcinoma, lymphoma, and chronic myelogenous
leukemia, said the administration.
China has exempted import tariffs from all common drugs including cancer
drugs, cancer alkaloid-based drugs, and imported traditional Chinese medicine
since May 1.
Based on the new policy, 12 pharmaceutical companies have recalculated
the prices of their products and will submit applications for price
adjustments on the requirement of the administration.
A negotiation launched in 2017 has lowered the prices of 15 clinically-
effective yet highly-priced cancer drugs such as Heceptin, Rituximab, and
Bortezomib, as well as added them to the medical insurance reimbursement
list.
BSS/XINHUA/IJ/1423 hrs