400 varieties of drugs to determine the price cut

Starting from February 1 this year, the NDRC will adjust the maximum retail price limit for drugs such as respiratory, antipyretic and analgesic drugs, and a total of 20 drugs, more than 400 varieties, and more than 700 representative dosage forms, with an average price reduction. At 15%, the average price drop of high-priced drugs reached 20%. According to the relevant person in charge of the Development and Reform Commission, the media revealed that the specific guidelines for the price adjustment of Chinese patent medicines in the next stage are still under development. The price is expected to “rise or fall”. Some Chinese patent medicines with relatively fast prices for raw materials may have certain prices. The rate of increase.

A large number of foreign drugs drastically reduced some of the shortage of drug prices. According to the NDRC, the chemicals used in this batch of price adjustments have been adjusted in four batches of antibiotics, cycles, nerves, hormones, digestion, anti-tumor, immunity, and blood in 2011. The 8 types of drugs belong to the same round of price adjustment varieties, and most of them fall into the category of commonly used clinical drugs.

According to the “Maximum retail price limit for individually priced drugs” promulgated by the National Development and Reform Commission, a large number of foreign pharmaceutical companies, such as Sanofi, Pfizer, Lilly, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Merck, and Shi Guibao, have products on the list, and there are some joint ventures. Corporate medicine. Although the heads of public relations departments of foreign companies, such as Pfizer, Roche, and Sanofi, were interviewed by reporters, they all expressed support for the various reforms adopted by the NDRC to reduce the medical burden on residents and promote fair competition in the market, and will actively cooperate with them. However, Zuo Yuzeng, director of communications department of the Chinese Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (RDPAC) of the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment, worried that a significant price reduction of patented medicines would adversely affect the enthusiasm of domestic and foreign innovators; “a drop of 25% or more. It is not easy for drugs to digest in the short term."

It is worth noting that, apart from reducing the price of most drugs, the price adjustment also raises the price of human blood globulins, some low-priced drugs, and clinically scarce drugs to encourage the production and supply of such drugs. In the latest price adjustments, "Human Albumin", a blood product, saw a slight price increase. The reporter found that the most commonly used 5g dosage form was raised from 212 yuan to 222 yuan; 10g dosage form was raised from 360 yuan to 374 yuan, which were 4.7% and 3.9% respectively. In this regard, people in the industry believe that in recent years, many types of blood products in China have been in short supply of raw materials, lack of supply, regional and even national out of stock also appear from time to time, the appropriate price increase is conducive to the promotion of enterprise enthusiasm, or may Relieve market demand.

The price adjustment of Chinese patent medicines immediately said that the price reduction is very small. In November last year, Li Lei, the deputy secretary-general of the China Industry Promotion Association and former deputy director of the Development and Reform Commission of the National Development and Reform Commission, disclosed that after the adjustment of western medicines, the National Development and Reform Commission will adjust the prices of Chinese medicine in the first half of 2013. . According to the reporter’s understanding, as early as two months ago, the Price Bureau started investigating the cost and profit of some Chinese medicine varieties. According to Li Guangliang, general manager of Guangzhou Baiyunshan Qixing Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. under Guangpharm Group, “The NDRC has allowed price departments to conduct price verifications on pharmaceutical brands some time ago. As far as I know, some of the base drugs under the GP Group, Protected varieties have also been investigated."

It is reported that from 2009, Chinese herbal medicine prices soared, so that Chinese medicine companies are overwhelmed. “Government-led opinions have been confirmed. The relevant departments believe that there is room for price cuts at the macro level. However, in reality, the space for price cuts has been very small for our production companies.” Li Guangliang pointed out that the phenomenon of some cost-inverted products with meager profits has appeared in reverse. time. The reporters found that some major drug brands, including Huoxiang Zhengqi Pills, Compound Danshen Tablets, Xuesaitongtong, and Yinqiao Jiedu Pills, experienced price inversion in 2012.

“Another extension of price downturns or upside downs is that many companies have to consider some ways to save costs when they purchase medicines, such as shoddy medicines.” A drug company official pointed out: If prices of Salvia are rising faster, some companies Looking for alternatives to other labiata plants, at least 1,000 tons of this alternative raw material enter the pharmaceutical industry each year. The Forsythia that caused widespread concern in the "two sessions" this year also has such problems. The price of forsythia used for medicine is more than 30 yuan. To reduce the cost, many companies will choose cheap Forsythia leaves, the price is only 10 yuan, and after the drug can not find problems through testing.

Of course, not all companies will adopt alternatives to feeding materials. Some state-owned large companies or listed companies have very strict supervision. “Our raw materials for medicinal materials are all purchased and supervised by the GP Group, and all of them use authentic ingredients. "Li Guangliang said. Therefore, "Chinese medicine can also be used to differentiate pricing, price by quality, and higher prices for better quality; quality evaluation standards should fully consider the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine products in raw material selection, process production, quality control, etc." Li Guangliang suggested.