OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for solving the shortage of national essential medicines in Changchun. METH-ODS:According to preliminary work,a questionnaire was conducted to investigate and statistically analyze the shortage situation of essential medicines in 22 higher than secondary and 50 basic medical and health institutions in Changchun;ABC analysis was used to analyze the national essential medicines in shortage;the bid results and shortage causes of the primary and secondary nation-al essential medicines in shortage were inquired. RESULTS:Totally 72 questionnaire were send out,and 72 were recycled with ef-fective recovery of 100%. The investigation results showed there were 19 shortage breeds(22 dosage forms),which lost the bid-ding,and 99 breeds(111 dosage forms)of national essential medicines in shortage,which won the bidding,including 85 kinds of chemical medicines and biological products,14 kinds of Chinese patent medicine in Changchun. Cardiovascular system drugs shows the largest number in the bid chemical medicines and biological products,and the Chinese patent medicine were mainly Fu-zheng agent and Quyu agent(internal medicine). Results of ABC analysis showed,among the 111 bid shortage dosage forms,17 were primary and 23 were secondary. The main causes for them were price raising in raw materials,lack of production,no produc-ing in manufacturers and purchase price higher than winning bids. CONCLUSIONS:Low accessibility of raw material drugs,low enthusiasm to production,lower drug price than a reasonable level,and small clinical requirements can lead to the shortage of na-tional essential medicines. It is suggested to intensify in supervising the raw materials’marketing,raising the enthusiasm of manu-facturers,perfecting the system of drug bidding,developing fixed-point production and building drug reserve system to guarantee the production and supply of national essential medicines,and satisfy clinical demands.