THE country has included 17 cancer drugs on the medical insurance list, the country’s State medical insurance administration announced yesterday.

The price of the 17 drugs dropped 56.7 percent on average compared to the average retail price. They have also been priced lower than the market prices in the neighboring countries and regions, remarkably reducing the economic burden of people battling cancer in China.

In June, China’s drug authority launched a new round of negotiations with pharmaceutical companies on the inclusion of cancer drugs for medical insurance.

Forty-four cancer drugs that were not covered in the list were reviewed during the negotiations, and 17 drugs were finally selected to be added to the list.

All of them are clinically necessary, effective, and urgently needed for cancer treatment.

The move also reflects the country’s support for medical innovation and stronger push for research and development. Ten of the 17 newly included drugs have been publicly available since last year.

The country lifted the import tariffs on 103 of 138 anti-cancer drugs available in May, and significantly reduced the value added tax levied on these drugs. On the list of 103 anti-cancer drugs, 82 types have been included in the government’s basic medical insurance programs.

(CGTN)