China renews national medical insurance catalog, adding 91 new drugs

BEIJING -- China on Thursday released an updated national medical insurance drug list, adding 91 new drugs, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration.

The price of newly included drugs will drop by 63 percent on average, with an estimated reduction in patient costs of over 50 billion yuan (about 6.95 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025.

The updated list includes medication for tumors, chronic conditions like diabetes, rare diseases, as well as anti-infective and psychiatric drugs. It also removed 43 drugs that have either been clinically replaced or are no longer produced or supplied.

The country's medical insurance authority has adjusted the list for seven years in a row, increasing the total number of medications to 3,159 and significantly enhancing coverage for chronic diseases, rare diseases, and pediatric medications.

The new catalog will take effect nationwide on Jan. 1, 2025.