Objective To investigate the disease constitution and drug application of inpatients in Yong’an Central Township Health Center (YaC) in Shuangliu County of Sichuan province in 2009, so as to provide baseline data for further research. Method Questionnaire and focus interview were carried out, case records and drug application information of YaC inpatients in 2009 were collected. The diseases were classified according to ICD-10 based on first diagnose. Drug application was analyzed based on pharmaceutical dosage form, pharmaceutical effect, cost, and clinical departments. Data including general information of the inpatients, discharge diagnosis, hospitalization expenses, and drug cost etc. were rearranged and analyzed by Excel software. Result a) The total number of inpatients was 4 335 and the female/male was 55.59% vs. 44.1%, their disease spectrum included 18 categories, which accounted for 85% of disease classes of ICD-10; b) The inpatients suffered from top 5 systematic diseases were 3 531, accounted for 81.45%, which included the respiratory, digestive, urinary tract and urogenital, circulatory systems, as well as trauma and toxicosis. Except the trauma and toxicosis, the female was more than the male in all the rest main systematic diseases; c) The top 15 single diseases were chronic bronchitis in acute stage, acute upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, acute gastroenteritis, chronic bronchitis, urinary stone, acute appendicitis, chronic gastritis, acute gastritis, vertebrobasilar ischemia, cesarean section, fracture, acute urticaria, and meniere disease; d) The total inpatients with top 15 single diseases accounted for 59.81%, including 6 chronic diseases and 9 acute diseases. The patients’ average costs of chronic disease were higher than that of acute disease; and e) The proportion of western medicine cost accounted for 80% to 90% of total cost, and the cost of anti-microbial drugs and drugs of humoral regulation ranked as the top two. Conclusion a) The inpatients in 2009 are mainly in age of 25 to 59, and over 60 years old as well. The top two diseases mainly attacked are in respiratory and digestive systems, acute diseases are more than the chronic; b) Except for pneumonia, urinary stone, uroschesis, urinary stone, trauma, and toxicosis, the female inpatients are more than the male for complaining all other diseases; c) The number of inpatients received hysterotomy is as 4.24 times as that of natural labor, and the rationality should be paid attention to; d) The commonly used drugs, according to the costs, involve in 4 kinds of drugs and 1 kind of vaccine, which are in accordance with the main burden of the diseases; e) Supervision should be focused on the drugs of high cost or the one most frequently used; and f) The 0.9% Sodium chloride injection, Glucose injection and Cefuroxime listed in the EML (2009) satisfy the needs of treatment for YaC inpatients in 2009.
ObjectiveTo propose policy recommendations for improvement of the affordability of high cost medicines with significant public health implications under the patent system in China. MethodsThrough literature analysis and market investigation, this study targeted expensive life saving medicines under the patent protection, which are critical for the treatment of eight diseases with the most significant disease burden and critical social, economic and political impact for case studies, estimated the individual and insurance direct economic burden of medicines treatment. ResultsChemical product patent protection enhanced medicines price monopoly. The targeted medicines brought huge financial burden to Chinese citizens, especially to the rural residents. Breaking chemical product patent protection, achieving parallel importation or making generic drugs enter into the China's market, can save huge amount of medicines procurement budget for the government, and benefit the general public. ConclusionDeveloping and implementing medicines registration and intellectual property right protection strategies with public health perspective, adding continuously improved basic health insurance programs, can effectively promote the affordability of high cost medicines with significant public health, social, political and economic implications.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the developing methodologies of Essential Medicines Lists for Children (EMLcs) in global, in order to provide reference in developing EMLc of China. MethodsWe searched ProQuest, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink and MEDLINE databases, World Health Organization (WHO) official website, and 67 websites of National Ministry of Health and Drug Administration Section, to collect literature about selection methodology of children and/or adult essential medicines list (EML). A descriptive analysis was conducted. ResultsA total of fourteen literatures were included. Of which, 6 were about the essential medicines selection methodology in children, and the other 8 were about the essential medicines selection methodology in adult. The WHO had established independent EMLc selection committee. Paediatricians were involved in the selection of EMLc in the WHO and India. There was no selection criteria and process for EMLc globally. The WHO, India, and South Africa selected their EMLcs referring to the WHO EML selection criteria. The WHO and South Africa had their own updating time, period and process for EMLc. The WHO EMLc was updated per 2 years, which in high frequency and conducts in rigorous process. However, the EMLc of India had not been updated yet. ConclusionIt is suggested that China could build a national EMLc selection committee involving paediatricians and evidence-based medicine experts etc. in referring to the framework of the WHO Child Health Working Group. The EMLc selection criteria and process of China could be established referring to the one of the WHO, based on the disease burden, drug accessibility and medical insurance of children of China. The EMLc of China should be simultaneously updated with the adult EML of China.
This study is to provide reference for the proper understanding of the content of " Promoting innovation and access to quality, safe, efficacious, and affordable medicines for children” resolution of 69th World Health Assembly (WHA), and facilitate the policy making and implication of the Resolution. Through descriptive analysis, the author introduce the proposal background and approving process of the resolution, and interpret the resolution content. The approval of " Promoting innovation and access to quality, safe, efficacious, and affordable medicines for children” at WHA represents China's international discourse right on improving the basic medical service among children, the most vulnerable population; highlights China's responsibility and magnitude of a great nation. It is an effective promotion for China's new medical reform and the implication of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as a great contribution to the global health of children from China.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the effect of implementing the medicines zero mark-up policy in Chinese public hospitals.MethodsCNKI, WanFang Data, VIP, Sinomed, Web of Science, PubMed and EMbase databases were electronically searched to collect quantitative evaluations of the effect of implementing the medicines zero mark-up policy in Chinese public hospitals from inception to October 30th, 2020. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed risk of bias of included studies. Descriptive analysis was then performed.ResultsThe existing evidence on the effect of implementing the medicines zero mark-up policy in Chinese public hospitals was from 3 studies based on national samples and 7 provincial level studies in Beijing, Shannxi and Fujian. After the implementation of the medicines zero mark-up policy, all included studies found that the medicines expenditure and the proportion of medicines expenditure to the total expenditure per outpatient visit or per hospitalization decreased. The expenditures of medical supplies, tests & examinations per outpatient visit or per hospitalization increased, and the medical expenditure per outpatient visit or per hospitalization increased in Beijing. The hospital annual revenue generated from medicines and its proportion to the total annual revenue both decreased across the country. Although the government allocated increased subsidy to compensate the revenue reduction of the public hospitals due to the implementation of the medicines zero-mark-up policy, the total annual revenue of traditional Chinese medicine hospitals at the county level across the country still decreased significantly.ConclusionsBased on the available evidence, we conclude that the policy objective of abolishing the mechanism of "compensating medical care with revenue generated from prescribing medicines" is achieved, while that of establishing a scientific compensation mechanism for public hospitals are partially achieved. Compared with other regions, Beijing has appropriately adjusted the prices of medical care while removing the mark-up of medicines, thus is a contributor to the establishment of a scientific compensation mechanism for public hospitals.