News
On November 29, 2010, NDRC issued an announcement to lower the
retail price cap by an average of 19% among 17 therapeutic drug
categories, primarily antibiotics and cardiovascular medicines. The
announcement stipulates (1) lowering the retail prices of selected
independently priced medicines, and (2) removal of independent pricing of
certain products. NDRC expects to save c.Rmb2 bn per year for the public
by implementing these measures. Roche’s Rocephin (Ceftriaxone Sodium
0.25g/0.5g/1g, Bristol-Myers-Squibb’s Capoten (Captopril), MSD (Merck
Sharpe & Dohme)’s Vasatec (Enapril) 10mg*10/5mg*10, Daiichi
Sankyo’s Levaquin (Levofloxacin) 100mg*10/500mg*4/300mg (100ml,
injection)/500mg (100ml injection), Novartis’ Cataflam (Diclofenac
Potassium) 25mg*10 (pills)/25mg*10/25mg*30 (enteric coated tablets),
Pfizer’s Zithromax (Azithromycin) 250mg*4/250mg*4 and the United
Lab’s Amoxicillin 250mg*24/500mg*12/500mg*24, are a few among the
list.