National Healthcare Security Administration: The formation of drug prices adheres to the principle of combining effective market forces with an active government.

Recently, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Several Opinions on Improving the Drug Pricing Mechanism". This morning, the State Council Information Office held a policy briefing, with officials from the National Healthcare Security Administration, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Health Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the State Drug Administration introducing the situation regarding the improvement of the full-cycle, comprehensive drug pricing mechanism. Shi Zihai, Deputy Director of the National Healthcare Security Administration, stated that since June 2015, except for anesthetic drugs and first-class psychotropic drugs, other drugs have been deregulated with government pricing and shifted to market-adjusted prices. Enterprises independently set prices based on comprehensive clinical value, market supply and demand, competitive landscape, social affordability, and other factors, with actual transaction prices mainly determined by market competition. The "Opinions" adhere to the principle of a combination of effective markets and an active government, clearly stating the direction of reform with market orientation while emphasizing the role of the government in ensuring an effective market.