Talks aim to expand drug coverage by insurance

Most commonly used cancer drugs have been included in China's basic medical insurance program, and the government is continuing negotiations on the price of expensive drugs with the aim of including them, the country's top medical security authority said.

China has included 34 drugs that treat major cancers, such as lung, breast, stomach and rectal cancer, in the national basic medical insurance program after successful price negotiations with pharmaceutical companies in the past three years, the National Healthcare Security Administration said recently.

"All the drugs are clinically proven to be effective, and are in high demand by patients," it said.