Health · Healthcare & Policy · 2 hrs ago
China issues measures to improve access to innovative medicines
Four Chinese government departments issued new rules for innovative medicines on 10 November.
The rules apply to hospitals and health authorities across China and cover medicines listed in national medical insurance or commercial health insurance catalogues.
Hospitals at county level and above must review whether to add eligible new drugs to their medicine lists, based on their ability to use them and patients’ needs.
Health authorities must arrange training on the medicines and insurance payment policies, while clinical experts are to develop guidance on their use.
The rules remove some financial and administrative barriers, including limits on hospitals’ total medicine lists and certain performance measures tied to drug costs.
They also allow some cases involving innovative medicines to be assessed for alternative payment arrangements.
Local authorities must track whether hospitals are making the medicines available, and national health and insurance agencies say they will review implementation.
China’s health and other government agencies issued measures to improve the safe and appropriate use of innovative medicines.
The measures ask eligible hospitals to update their drug lists and include qualifying innovative medicines where their capabilities and clinical needs allow.
They also call for training, clinical guidance and changes to payment and management policies.
The measures say authorities must not limit hospitals’ total number of drug products and that certain innovative medicines are excluded from specified performance indicators.
- Who
- China’s National Health Commission, National Healthcare Security Administration, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and National Disease Control and Prevention Administration.
- What
- They issued measures to improve access to, and the safe and appropriate use of, innovative medicines.
- When
- The notice was dated October 30, 2026, and announced on November 10, 2026.
- Where
- China.
- Why
- To promote safe and appropriate use of innovative medicines, meet diverse public demand for medicines and improve treatment outcomes while safeguarding medical quality and safety.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The four agencies dated the notice on measures to improve the use of innovative medicines.
The agencies issued the notice, which was reported by China News Service.
- Issuing agencies
- Four national government agencies
- Notice date
- October 30, 2026
- Announcement date
- November 10, 2026
- Eligible hospitals
- Secondary-level and above
- Qualifying medicines
- Class 1 new drugs in the national medical insurance negotiation catalogue and commercial health insurance innovative drug catalogue
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What people are saying
Health authorities must not impose limits on the total number of drug varieties and specifications held by medical institutions.