The national high-value medical consumables alliance procurement office has released the results of the third round of volume-based procurement (VBP) for high-value medical consumables. A total of 152 manufacturers won the bids, with an average price cut of 84%. This will save approximately RMB 26 billion ($3.65 billion) in medical expenses annually. The results will be implemented in the alliance regions from January to February next year.
Details of the VBP Round
This round of VBP followed tenders for coronary stents and artificial joints. It included 14 product system categories based on the needs for cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine surgery. These categories cover five types of orthopedic spinal consumables: cervical fixation and fusion, thoracolumbar fixation and fusion, vertebroplasty, endoscopic nucleus pulposus removal, and artificial disc replacement.
Significant Price Reductions
The average price of each set of consumables for posterior fixation and fusion of the thoracolumbar spine, which accounts for one-third of spinal surgeries, decreased from RMB 33,000 ($4,637) to RMB 4,500 ($632). For overseas products, the price was cut from RMB 60,000 ($8,431) to RMB 4,800 ($674). Additionally, consumables used in the latest minimally invasive thoracolumbar surgery saw the average price per set reduced from RMB 40,000 ($5,621) to RMB 5,600 ($786). The average price for vertebroplasty consumables used in treating compression fractures was slashed from RMB 27,000 ($3,794) to RMB 1,100 ($154).-Fineline Info & Tech
