China is making a significant move to help patients with rare diseases by adding 13 new drugs to its national medical insurance catalog. This brings the total number of rare-disease medications covered to over 90.
The newly added drugs address conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, intractable epilepsy, and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Rare diseases have often been overlooked due to their low incidence rates and high treatment costs, but this expansion marks a shift in focus.
Since its establishment, the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) has adjusted the medical insurance catalog for seven consecutive years. This has included coverage for diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, Gaucher disease, and myasthenia gravis.
“It’s a shared hope among doctors and patients to see more high-quality, life-saving medicines covered by insurance,” said Zhang Shuyang, president of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
China is also enhancing its national network for diagnosing and treating rare diseases. As of October 2023, over 400 medical institutions have joined this network, providing medical referrals and telemedicine services across all regions.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
