China Deploys First National System for Medicine Price Registration

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A new national drug price registration system has officially gone live in the country, marking the first independent platform separate from regional procurement networks. This platform offers pharmaceutical companies a credible and transparent channel to publish drug prices openly.

Built through collaboration between the National Healthcare Security Administration and the Beijing municipal government, the China Medicine Registration website (chinamedreg.com.cn) allows drug manufacturers to voluntarily declare their product prices based on their developmental strategies. It is accessible to international organizations and the general public for inquiries.

To register prices, applicants must submit relevant documentation along with a letter affirming the accuracy of their stated prices. The platform will verify the submitted materials before registering the prices, with no interference in the applicants’ pricing decisions.

Yesterday marked the completion of initial registrations by nine pharmaceutical companies, including prominent firms such as Akeso, BeOne Medicines, China Meheco Group, Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, Iaso Biotherapeutics, JW Therapeutics, Tong Ren Tang, Yifan Pharmaceutical, and Swiss-based Roche.

This system leverages international standards to provide authoritative, uniform, and transparent price registration and inquiry services in the pharmaceutical market. The initiative aims to facilitate the international expansion of Chinese innovative drugs and attract more foreign medicines to China, ultimately benefiting local patients.

Since the start of the year, the progress of Chinese innovative drugs reaching overseas markets has accelerated significantly. Over 100 licensing agreements were completed in the first three quarters, totaling more than $92 billion — surpassing last year’s total of $51.9 billion, according to industry data.

Before this registration platform’s launch, drug pricing information was primarily available through regional procurement channels. These platforms would typically publish the prices agreed upon after medical insurance negotiations, which are often lower than market rates. An industry insider explained that the new system allows companies to disclose actual prices, enhancing transparency.

Experts widely believe that the prices published on this centralized platform carry greater credibility than those on regional systems or at pharmaceutical sales outlets. This development supports the establishment of a diversified drug pricing framework and safeguards the independent pricing authority of pharmaceutical companies, said a representative from the industry.