China expands medical insurance coverage against rare diseases

BEIJING -- China has expanded its rare disease catalog to 207 conditions and included nearly 100 rare disease drugs in its medical insurance scheme, according to information released at the 2025 China Conference on Rare Diseases, which concluded on Sunday.

Due to their low incidence, small patient populations, and high research and development costs, rare diseases have received limited attention in the healthcare field. Through coordinated inter-agency efforts, China has accelerated the development of a system for the prevention and treatment of such diseases, making drugs more accessible and affordable for the patients.

In 2024, China's medical insurance fund allocated 8.6 billion yuan (about $1.2 billion) to include rare disease drugs in its coverage, accounting for about 7.7 percent of total payments.

Beyond expanding insurance coverage for such drugs, China has also advanced its national rare disease diagnosis and treatment collaboration network, which now includes 419 medical institutions.

The country has further established a rare disease reporting system covering 1.15 billion people, with 1.64 million cases registered to date.

"While rare disease diagnosis and treatment may seem like a 'niche need,' it is actually a critical measure of medical and social progress," said Zhang Shuyang, president of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and a rare disease expert.

"It not only upholds the dignity of individual lives but also drives medical and social progress toward greater precision and equity," Zhang added.