Drug Discov Ther. 2019;13(6):365-369. (DOI: 10.5582/ddt.2019.01093)

"4+7" city drug volume-based purchasing and using pilot program in China and its impact.

Tang M, He JJ, Chen MX, Cong LX, Xu Y, Yang Y, Hou ZY, Song PP, Jin CL

In order to deepen the health system reform and improve the mechanism for the formation of drug prices, in January 2019, the General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued the "National centralized drug purchasing and using pilot program", selected 11 cities in mainland China to carry out "4+7" city drug volume based purchasing pilot work. This paper introduces the specific implementation plan, organizational structure and drug selection process of China's "4+7" city drug volume-based purchasing pilot work, and expounds the initial effects, existing problems and policy development after the implementation of the policy. After the implementation of the policy, the prices of 25 selected drugs were significantly lower, compared with the minimum purchase price of the same drugs in 11 pilot cities in 2017, the average drop was 52%. After the pilot scope was extended to the nation, compared with the minimum purchase price of the Union in 2018, the proposed price of the 25 drugs have an average price drop of 59%, compared with the selected price of the "4+7" pilot cities, the average price drop was 25%, and the price of drugs dropped further. By the end of August 2019, the implementation progress of 25 selected drugs in the "4+7" city drug volume-based purchasing was better than expected, the burden of patients’ drug expenses was reduced, and the pilot work was beginning to bear fruit. The long-term influence and effect of the "4+7" city drug volume-based purchasing and policy implementation after the expansion needs to be further observed.

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