China to adjust drug catalog covered by basic healthcare insurance every year

BEIJING - The drug catalog covered by basic healthcare insurance in China will be adjusted once a year in principle under a dynamic mechanism, according to a draft released Wednesday by the National Healthcare Security Administration to solicit public opinions.

Such a dynamic mechanism will be established and improved to adjust the drug catalog once a year in principle, in line with the draft version of the interim regulation on medicines covered by basic healthcare insurance, according to the administration.

Chemical drugs, biological products or ready-for-use traditional Chinese medicine included in the catalog should be those already approved by medicine authorities, the draft said.

Drugs made from endangered animals and plants, those whose approval has been revoked, or those that failed in the risk evaluation should be removed from the coverage.

For most medicines, the expense covered by basic healthcare insurance should be set upon its inclusion into the list, the draft noted.