The National Healthcare Security Administration ("NHSA") has recently drafted the 2020 Work Plan for Adjustments to the National Catalog of Drugs Covered by the Medical Insurance (Draft for Comment) (the "Draft for Comment") for public comments by August 10, 2020.
The Draft for Comment mainly touches upon five aspects: target tasks, adjustment scope, work procedures, composition and responsibilities of experts, and supervisory mechanism. Among others, the Draft for Comment proposes that seven categories of drugs beyond the original catalog, including drugs for curing respiratory diseases related to novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19), will be included in the new drugs to be added in the 2020 National Catalog of Drugs (the "Catalog"). Meanwhile, the drugs excluded from the Catalog include "drugs whose approval certificates have been withdrawn, revoked or cancelled by national drug regulatory authorities" and "drugs whose risks outweigh benefits upon evaluation and comprehensive consideration of their clinical value, adverse reactions, drug economy and other factors". The Draft for Comment also clarifies that the Catalog will be adjusted throughout five stages, namely, preparation, declaration by enterprises, expert review, negotiation and bidding, and announcement of results which will take place from November to December this year.