The Opinions include:

  I. Encouragement of rational drug use

  Medical institutions are required to include purchase and use information on drugs as part of the information disclosure required of institutional management by publishing the price, dosage and drug expense on a quarterly basis. They are also required to implement regulations that require prescription reviews and evidence-based treatment of traditional Chinese medicine, and regulations that impose monitoring over antibiotics, adjuvant drugs and dietary supplements. A mechanism will be established to publish the names of doctors who prescribe drugs unreasonably and arrange corrective consultations with them.

  II. Breakdown of compensation system of medical costs through drug-selling profit

  Emphasis will be placed on coordination among medical treatment, health insurance and pharmaceuticals to facilitate in the overall planning of reforms, including cancelling drug price increases, adjusting medical costs and encouraging the purchase of medicine from retail pharmacies. The government will honor its commitment to increase investment and accelerate the establishment of a new compensation regime for public hospitals.

  Measures will be taken to separate medical treatment and pharmaceuticals sales. Medical institutions will be required to prescribe generic pharmaceuticals and take the initiative to provide patients with prescriptions. Outpatients may, at their option, buy pharmaceuticals from a hospital or a retail pharmacy. Medical institutions may not restrict the outpatient’s purchase of prescription pharmaceuticals from a pharmacy.

  III. Enhancing the role of medical insurance regulations and cost control measures

  Medical insurers should be allowed to maximize their role in controlling and supervising medical services and costs and gradually extend their supervision over medical institutions to services provided by medical personnel. Efforts will also be made to establish a credit rating management and blacklist management system for designated medical institutions.

  From: The General Office of the State Council