Medicines get prescription to open up country's market

The government will introduce a mechanism for market competition into public hospital reform and establish a system for basic medicines under a reform plan likely to be announced this week, an authoritative source said.

Aimed at providing universal medical service to 1.3 billion people, the reform plan focused on medical insurance, basic medicine, grassroots medical service, public health service and public hospital reform.

Under the plan, the government would purchase basic medicines by inviting public bidding.