Hospitals should not be key drivers of drug sales

Government efforts to reduce the reliance of public hospitals on drug sales for revenue are driving the growth of alternative sales channels, but obstacles hindering development persist, industry experts said.

In China's drug market, hospitals have long been the main channel for dispensing drugs, and the move away from this model reflects healthcare reforms to promote better and more affordable medical services and to curb excessive prescription, experts said.

According to Wang Bin, managing director of ECE Capital - an investment banking platform in areas including the medical and health industry - medicines used to treat outpatients suffering from chronic diseases, tumors and autoimmune diseases are the easiest breakthroughs for alternative sales channels.