The FINANCIAL — China’s pharmaceutical system will struggle to cope with the twin challenges of a rapidly aging population and increases in non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and heart and lung disease.
This is one of the findings from a report published on July 7 by LSE Health and the State Council of China. Recognising the importance of a strong domestic pharmaceutical industry in order to meet China’s growing healthcare needs, the authors identify the country’s main challenges and propose a series of policy measures to help build a robust system that provides affordable and effective medicines to all.
The report identifies market fragmentation as one of the major challenges in China’s pharmaceutical system. Currently, there are close to 5,000 different drug manufacturers operating in China. With the top five manufacturers holding less than 15 per cent of the market share, a far smaller percentage than in developed countries, many of these companies are not capable of abiding by Good Manufacturing Practices that are essential to drug quality and safety, the researchers suggest.
Efforts to increase market concentration are further obstructed by regional political interests, with firms facing constraints on recruitment and subject to variable local taxation. Additionally, China’s primary pharmaceutical regulator does not have capacity to provide effective oversight to the fragmented marketplace.
The report also finds that China’s innovative sector is relatively weak. Research and development accounts for only around two per cent of sales, compared to 14 to 18 per cent for multinational pharmaceutical companies.
To address these issues, the authors call for a comprehensive industrial policy framework to increase quality in generic medicines and foster innovation within the pharmaceutical industry. The policy would also take into account other important factors, such as intellectual property rights and the approval processes and pricing of new drugs.
Professor Elias Mossialos, Director of LSE Health, said: “China will soon be the world’s second largest pharmaceutical market by value, behind only the United States, so a strong domestic pharmaceutical industry is crucial if its growing healthcare needs are to be met. If it is to ensure that all Chinese citizens can access safe, effective and high-quality medications, the government must develop a comprehensive industrial policy framework that prioritises both an increased quality in generic medicines as well as fostering an innovative industry to develop new medicines.”
Professor Chen Wen, Dean of the School of Public Health at Fudan University, who reviewed the report, said: “This report is the most comprehensive analysis of the Chinese pharmaceutical market and policies yet. Highly recommended to policymakers, analysts and students of health policy.”
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