ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of "adjusting structure and vacating space" of the transparent medicines procurement basing health insurance reimbursement standards, through comparing medicines consumption structure of health insurance designated health facilities of Fujian province. And to generate evidence as well as to propose recommendations for policy improvement and experience promotion. METHODS: Based on the 2016 and 2017 provincial medicines pooled procurement database, adopting the pivot table statistical functions of EXCEL software, the consumption value and value in proportion of Class and Ⅱ chemical products (Fujian provincial medicines procurement list therapeutic classification for chemical products), as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients, consumption value and volume (standardized units in tablet/bottle/vial) of originator and generics were analyzed and compared. The consumption value of Class formulations of traditional Chinese medicines (Fujian provincial medicines procurement list therapeutic classification for formulations of traditional Chinese medicines) was also analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Nearly 2.38 billion yuan procurement budget was saved in 2017 through adjustment of the medicines procurement list in Fujian province. There were a certain changes of the consumption structure of medicines. The procurement value of adjuvant and nutraceutical medicines dramatically reduced. The procurement value of medicines for treatment of chronic diseases like hypertension and cancers significantly increased. The procurement volume of generics started to surpass that of the originator, and showed potential competitiveness of generic substitution. However, the originator still dominated the market of quite a number of medicines. Prices of both generics and originators decreased. CONCLUSION: The effect of “adjusting structure and vacating space” has been demonstrated. Fully implementation of the health insurance reimbursement standards will make the above effect more apparent. To promote effective generic competition, Fujian should set the same health insurance reimbursement standard for originator and its generics (quality and efficacy validated) to promote generics substitution.