The Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone has introduced 319 clinically urgently needed overseas drugs and medical devices with special licenses since receiving permission in 2018. According to the Hainan Provincial Information Office, the number of approved licensed medical devices increased by 62% year-on-year (YOY) in 2022, and the number of users increased by 147% YOY.
Boao Lecheng: Main Channel for Early Access to Latest Drugs and Devices
Boao Lecheng serves as the primary channel for the world’s latest drugs and medical devices to gain early access to Chinese patients. In April this year, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Hainan Medical Products Administration (MPA) bureau, and Lecheng Medical Pilot Zone Administration jointly released the “Implementation Measures for Pre-communication of Clinical Real-World Data Application of Medical Devices in Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (Trial)”.
Average Approval Time and Real-World Data Application
The document revealed that the average approval time for licensed drugs and medical devices in Lecheng is just 1.6 working days. Authorities aim to clarify the path for using real-world data generated in Lecheng for product registration on the mainland, consolidating responsibilities and establishing a safety risk prevention and control network for the use of licensed drugs and devices.
Medical Institutions and Services in Lecheng
Currently, there are 25 medical institutions operating in Lecheng, with 24 more under construction or preparation, forming a structure of “public+private+international”. Ruijin Hospital’s Hainan branch has already opened, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University’s Lecheng branch plans to open in the second quarter of 2023. Private hospitals like Shulan Hospital, Pier88 Health, Aier Eye Hospital, and SINO-KOR Plastic&Aesthetic Hospital provide multi-level, diversified, and differentiated health services. International quality resources such as Raffles Medical Group from Singapore, South Korea’s JK Medical-Group, and Japan’s Towako Group are also available.
Innovation in Medical Insurance Models and Tourism Growth
Lecheng has innovated the “medical insurance+commercial insurance” model, launching the “Lecheng Global Specialty Medicine Insurance” for three consecutive years. Since 2021, local Huiminbao launched by 21 provinces and cities has included Lecheng special medicines in the insurance coverage, with a cumulative insured population of over 31 million. In 2022, the medical institutions in the zone received 189,000 medical tourists, up 48.5% YOY. Nearly 18,000 patients used licensed drugs and devices, a year-on-year increase of 79%. In the first quarter of this year, the number of medical tourists received by Lecheng Pilot Zone was 64,391, up 59.72% YOY, while the number of licensed drug and device users reached 3,177, up 48.2% YOY.-Fineline Info & Tech
