China releases first marketed medicine list

BEIJING -- China has released its first list of marketed medicine, with 131 types of medicine in 203 specifications, according to the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA).

The list contains both generic and branded medicines, and specifies reference preparations, which offer research standards for generic medicines, a CFDA official said Friday.

The list also records generic medicines that have equal curative effect with their branded originals, showing which branded medicines can be replaced with generic ones.

The list marks a milestone in generic medicine management, according to the CFDA.

Product information for marketed medicines is collected in the list, including product names, preparations, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes and registration numbers.