China Speeds Up Drug Price Talks as Commercial Insurance Fast-Track Loses Steam

China concluded negotiations over drug prices for its 2026 national reimbursement lists on Wednesday, more than a month earlier than in prior years, as Beijing seeks to expand access to innovative medicines while containing pressure on its basic health-insurance fund.

The nearly five-day negotiations in Beijing covered 664 drug applications. Of those, 557 applications for the basic national health-insurance list passed the initial review, 23 more than last year. Another 58 applications for the commercial-insurance innovative-drug list passed, down 63 from a year earlier.