The inclusion of 126 new drugs in the medical insurance covering rare diseases and other fields was announced by Xinhua News Agency. The negotiation lasted for four days and ended with 168 rounds of negotiations and bidding. The inclusion of these new drugs is a significant upgrade for the “drug basket” for more than 1.3 billion insured people in China.
The new drugs cover various treatment areas, including rare diseases, anti-tumor drugs, and chronic diseases. The addition of these drugs will have a positive impact on people’s use of medicine by providing more accessible and affordable treatment options for a wide range of conditions.
The addition of 15 rare disease drugs outside the catalog is especially significant, as it fills the gaps in drug protection for 10 diseases, such as Gaucher disease and Castleman’s disease. The inclusion of these drugs brings hope to patients with rare diseases, as they will now have access to necessary medications through medical insurance.
In terms of anti-tumor drugs, the new version of the National Medical Insurance Drug Catalog has added several drugs for the treatment of various types of cancer. This inclusion will help patients more easily accept and adhere to their long-term treatment and reduce the financial burden on them.
The negotiation process also saw 25 innovative drugs participating, of which 23 were successfully negotiated, resulting in an improvement in the affordability and accessibility of these drugs for patients. Additionally, the negotiation rules were adjusted to allow for more moderate renewal price reductions for innovative drugs, benefiting drug innovation and the affordability of medications for patients in need.
The inclusion of newly launched drugs within five years among the new varieties in the catalog has increased significantly, indicating a commitment to providing timely access to innovative drugs with huge clinical needs.
Overall, the medical insurance negotiations reflect a commitment to putting “life first” by providing affordable and accessible medications to patients in need. The successful negotiations and inclusion of new drugs in the medical insurance catalog will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the healthcare system and the lives of people in China.