China expected to expand centralized bulk drug procurement in 2024

BEIJING -- China is expected to extend the list of medications covered by its bulk procurement program in 2024.

The combined number of drugs purchased through China's national and provincial drug bulk-buying schemes is expected to grow to 500, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration.

Two rounds of unified drug procurement were completed in 2023, with 80 medicines selected and an average price cut of 57 percent. Among the procurements were medications for common and chronic conditions and diseases such as tumors, hypertension and diabetes, as well as medications for emergency use.

Since 2018, the administration has organized nine rounds of bulk drug procurement, on average more than halving the prices of 374 different medicines.