China includes 13 rare disease medications in medical insurance

China includes 13 rare disease medications in medical insurance

China has recently included 13 rare disease medications in the national medical insurance drug list. This is part of the country's efforts to improve the accessibility of multiple treatment options. So far, over 90 rare disease treatment drugs have been included in China's national medical insurance drug catalog.

According to the report, the newly included 13 rare disease medications include Marvacaite capsules for treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Chlorpheniramine for treating refractory epilepsy.

It is reported that due to the extremely low incidence rate, limited number of patients, high cost of drug research and development and other reasons, rare diseases have been less concerned in the medical system for many years.

However, the Chinese government has increased its efforts to prevent and treat these diseases, while also striving to make it easier for patients to access and afford relevant drugs.

According to reports, since the establishment of the National Healthcare Security Administration, the list of medical insurance drugs has been adjusted for seven consecutive years, including drugs for the treatment of rare diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, Gaucher's disease, and myasthenia gravis.

According to reports, China is continuously improving its rare disease diagnosis and treatment collaboration network. As of October 2024, over 400 hospitals have joined the platform. This collaborative network adopts a two-way referral and remote consultation mechanism, providing convenience for patients to obtain expert consultations and advanced medical resources.