National medical bulk-buy program to be expanded

China plans to expand its national bulk-buying program for drugs and high-value medical consumables this year to reduce medical costs, a health official said on Friday.

Chen Jinfu, deputy director of the National Healthcare Security Administration, said that by the end of 2022, there should be in excess of 350 medications included in the national or regional procurement programs in each province.

There should also be no less than five types of high-value medical consumables, he added during a news briefing held by the State Council Information Office.

Since 2018, China has launched six rounds of centralized procurement involving 234 medications, according to Chen.

The bulk-buying of high-value medical consumables has focused on cardiology and orthopedics and the price of heart stents and artificial joints have been slashed as a result, the deputy director said.

By the end of last year, the programs had saved more than 260 billion yuan ($40.7 billion).