Free pharmaceutical policy to promote equity and access:Its implications for China

VernacularTitle:免费用药政策对促进中国药品公平可及的启示
Author: Xiaodong GUAN ; Baomin WANG ; Xiaoxiong XIN ; Zhigang GUO ; Sheng HAN ; Luwen SHI
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Free; Equity; Access; Essential medicine
From: Chinese Journal of Health Policy 2015;(2):54-59
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Promoting equity and access to medicine is important to guarantee health equity. The international communities commonly guarantee equity and access to medicine through free pharmaceutical policy. In most coun-tries, free pharmaceutical policy covers patients who cannot afford, children under 5, pregnant women and elderly people. The free medicines include essential medicines, medicines for chronic and infectious diseases, vaccines, etc. Financing of free medicines comes from health insurance, direct government investment and international aid, and the medicine delivery mainly depends on the public medical institutions. Free pharmaceutical policy in China mainly refers to medicines for infectious diseases and vaccines, and the coverage is narrow. This paper argues that since China has been becoming one of the middle income countries, the amount of free medicines should be in-creased, especially for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, etc. The equity and access to medicine in China should be further promoted by providing all essential medicines for free.