drugs Photo: VCG

China on Sunday released the fourth batch of generic drugs list aimed at guiding pharmaceutical companies to research and produce them, which includes 21 drug varieties covering 47 specifications across areas such as cancer, neurology, assisted reproduction and diagnostic imaging, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The fourth batch of the catalogue, jointly released by China's National Health Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments, put emphasis on how to better meet patients' treatment needs, according to Xinhua. 

To address weak links in the R&D capabilities of domestic enterprises, the fourth batch of the catalogue gives priority to products with new targets and novel mechanisms of action. These include Difelikefalin used to alleviate moderate to severe chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus in hemodialysis patients, and four not yet approved domestically radiopharmaceuticals, covering drugs for therapy, diagnosis, and localization uses. 

At the same time, while taking efficacy into account, the list prioritizes drugs recommended in overseas first-line clinical guidelines, such as Suvorexant for insomnia, which offers improved sleep and fewer side effects. The move aims to address gaps in domestically available drugs and provide more options for clinical use.

In line with policies aimed at promoting fertility, priority is also given to iterative products with lower rates of adverse reactions. 

While considering drug accessibility, the list prioritizes drugs with established domestic clinical use, including Deflazacort for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

China released its first batch of 34 encouraged generic medicines including anti-AIDS drugs Rilpivirine and Abacavir and leukemia drug Azathioprine on June 21, 2019. The national policy changes on generic drugs were made following the popularity of the 2018 Chinese film Dying to Survive, which focuses on a businessman who imports generic medicine from India to provide affordable treatment to leukemia patients in China.



Global Times