The Chinese government has unveiled new guidelines aimed at improving the drug pricing mechanism to ensure medicines remain within a reasonable and sustainable price range.
Issued by the General Office of the State Council, the guidelines emphasize refining a market-oriented approach to drug price formation while supporting the high-quality development of the pharmaceutical industry. They also underscore the need to guarantee public access to medicines that are both effective and affordable.
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A key provision focuses on optimising the initial pricing framework for newly launched drugs, including innovative therapies. For high-level innovative drugs with strong clinical value, the guidelines state that early-stage pricing should reflect the substantial research and development investment and associated risks. Such prices are expected to remain relatively stable for a defined period.
The policy also highlights the importance of leveraging medical insurance payment standards to guide pricing, alongside improving mechanisms for bulk procurement.
Source: Xinhua
