China imports dozens of new medicines, but none from India

BEIJING: China has imported dozens of new drugs, including cancer medicines for government hospitals, even as it engages in long-drawn negotiations with India to allow Indian pharmaceutical products access to the country.

A considerable volume of foreign-made drugs are now available in government hospitals across China to ease the cost burden of patients, state media reports said. “The 17 latest cancer drugs, included in China’s national medical insurance programme in October, are now available in more than half of all major hospitals,” China Daily reported, quoting the national health commission. Many of these drugs are imported, the report added.

The report didn’t mention the countries from which the medicines were imported, but it was learnt that none came from India.

The 17 drugs are part of a list of 48 new medicines that were allowed in last year. These drugs are cheaper than the alternatives available in China.

Indian drugs, especially cancer-fighting ones, are in demand in China.

It’s too early to say if China’s decision to import drugs from other countries has shut the door on Indian companies, but it has certainly narrowed the scope.

Discussions between officials of the two countries have failed to ease the movement of generic drugs from India to China.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in July that China and India were discussing the possibilities. “Relevant departments have formulated specific measures on promoting China-india pharmaceutical trade cooperation and granting greater access to drugs from India,” Hua had said.