Liu Wei, director of the market orders and trade division of the Shanghai Commerce Commission, recently outlined plans to boost the local healthcare and pharmaceutical industry ecosystem at the China Pharmaceutical Industry Information Annual Conference. His speech follows the release in November of “Policies and Measures to Support the Acceleration of Shanghai’s Establishment as a Global Biomedical R&D Economy and Industrialization Hub,” as previously reported by Fineline Info & Tech.
Plans for Pharmaceutical Product Management
According to Liu, Shanghai aims to leverage online and offline resources to fully implement the “dual channel” management of pharmaceutical products. This initiative is designed to ensure that all drugs listed on the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) are available to patients in pharmacies if not available in hospitals. The plan includes an online data center to enhance product tracking capabilities, such as a monitoring system for common fever drugs and anti-pandemic materials and supplies.
Pharmacy Transformation and Community Health Services
A local government working group between the commerce commission and medical product authorities has called for pharmacies to begin shifting towards health care service providers. The aim is to enhance service provision at the community level and provide health care education to residents.
Incentives for Pharma Companies
Liu also emphasized that the city government aims to offer a range of incentives to encourage domestic and multinational pharma players to establish regional headquarters in Shanghai, as promised in the “Policies and Measures” issued by Shanghai in November. These incentives are part of a broader strategy to attract investment and talent, positioning Shanghai as a global leader in the biomedical R&D economy.-Fineline Info & Tech
