Healthcare market

Chinese authorities on Friday jointly released the 2025 key points for rectifying malpractice in pharmaceutical purchasing, sales, and medical services, emphasizing a "zero-tolerance" policy for individual medical personnel who violate medical ethics, engage in corrupt practices, or undermine public interests, patient rights, and the industry's image. 

The release, which contains four sections and 15 key items, was jointly issued by 14 departments including National Health Commission, Ministry of Education, National Medical Products Administration, CCTV News reported.

The release stated that medical institutions must be held accountable for managing ethics and professional conduct. They need to strengthen the daily education and guidance of medical staff, and integrate professional conduct building with capability enhancement. 

A "zero-tolerance" approach will be taken toward any medical personnel who violate medical ethics, damage public interests, patient rights, or the industry's image, with offenders to be strictly punished.

According to CCTV, the release also emphasized tightening oversight on key areas including pharmaceuticals, high-value medical supplies, medical equipment, infrastructure and information technology project bidding, and logistical services.

It called for continued regulation of critical aspects, including the delivery of test samples, dispensing of prescriptions, project approval, and fund utilization, while also emphasizing stronger administrative enforcement and judicial action.

It also calls for improving the "blacklist" system for bribe-givers and bribe-takers in the pharmaceutical procurement sector, along with strengthening the registry for non-compliant entities.

The document urged a systematic crackdown on malpractice in medical services using tools such as prescription audits, AI alerts, surprise inspections, performance evaluations, and financial reviews. It stressed a focus on illegal activities in areas such as patient privacy, genetic testing, cosmetology , and funeral industry corruption, maintaining a high-pressure stance against corruption, according to the report by CCTV.

Internet-based medical practice will be also regulated, with focus on qualifications, alignment with physical institutions' services, and online prescriptions.

Authorities will also intensify efforts to crack down on illegal activities such as online "medical touts," unauthorized pharmaceutical advertising, and fraudulent marketing using fabricated videos of medical professionals.

Global Times