China releases new insurance-covered medicine list

China's National Healthcare Security Administration has added 114 new medicines to its national reimbursement drug list for 2025, significantly expanding coverage for critical treatments.

The update addresses major gaps in basic insurance, sharply reducing costs for drugs used to treat triple-negative breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and other serious conditions.

Patients with rare diseases — such as Langerhans cell histiocytosis and chelator-intolerant thalassemia — and those with chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and autoimmune disorders will also benefit from the new additions.

The updated list will take effect on Jan 1, extending additional health security to millions nationwide.

According to the administration, 88 percent of candidate drugs were successfully added this year, up from 76 percent the previous year.

In a push to encourage medical innovation, 50 of the newly covered medicines are classified as Category 1 innovative drugs — representing novel, global-first therapies.

The administration has also introduced a commercial health insurance innovative drug directory, which includes 19 high-value treatments not currently covered by the basic insurance fund.

This list features CAR-T therapies for cancer, drugs for rare diseases such as neuroblastoma and Gaucher disease, and medications for Alzheimer's disease. The move is designed to allow patients with commercial insurance earlier access to advanced treatments.

Following the annual expansion, China's reimbursement list now covers a total of 3,253 drugs — 1,857 Western chemical drugs and 1,396 proprietary Chinese medicines. Protection levels have risen noticeably in key areas including oncology, chronic diseases, mental health, rare disorders and pediatric care.