Impact of the national drug price negotiation policy on the utilization, cost, and accessibility of anticancer medicines in China: A controlled interrupted time series study

• DOI: 10.7189/jogh.12.11016
• Publication Date: 2022-12-17T11:38:25Z
• Authors: Lele Cai; Tiantian Tao; Hongtao Li; Zhuolin Zhang; Lingli Zhang; Xin Li
• Keywords: Raltitrexed; Defined daily dose; Reimbursement; Interrupted time series

China implemented the national drug price negotiation (NDPN) policy to include 17 innovative anticancer medicines in reimbursement list 2018. We aimed assess impact of this on utilization, cost, and accessibility medicines.We obtained monthly medicine procurement data from 1039 hospitals October 2017 December 2019. examined changes availability, defined daily dose cost (DDDc), affordability using descriptive statistics controlled interrupted time series analysis, measuring utilization by doses (DDDs). Cetuximab raltitrexed were compared separately for same indication.The mean availability negotiated was 28.78% after NDPN, amounting an increase 25.22%. The increased 7.88% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.31%, 11.45%, P < 0.001) immediately 1.23% CI 0.81%, 1.64%, per month implementation. Compared with control group, 11.44 DDDs 2.42, 20.46, 0.014) 3.54 2.47, 4.60, implementation, while DDDc decreased US$109.09 68.14, 150.05, remained stable thereafter. results cetuximab similar. Availability differed among regions east, middle, west China. Out-of-pocket costs 17.35 times catastrophic health expenditures 1.99 times, but ratio 14 still greater than 1.The NDPN improved medicines. China's experience provides a reference other countries. However, need further improvement.