BEIJING, (Xinhua) — China’s health authorities have concluded a new round of centralized procurement for medical supplies, aiming to reduce healthcare costs for hospitals and patients nationwide.
The National Healthcare Security Administration on Wednesday released the results of the sixth national bulk purchasing program for high-value medical consumables. This round covered 12 categories of medical devices, including drug-coated balloons and products used in urological interventions.
A total of 440 products from 202 manufacturers were selected. Officials said the procurement process successfully attracted leading suppliers commonly used by hospitals, helping ensure a stable and diverse supply of the selected devices.Since the launch of the program, centralized procurement has expanded to include 142 types of medical consumables across nine major categories.
These cover key clinical areas such as cardiology, orthopedics, peripheral vascular surgery, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and urology. According to the administration, patients are expected to gain access to the newly procured, lower-priced devices from around May 2026. China has increasingly relied on centralized purchasing to negotiate lower prices for medical equipment and pharmaceuticals as part of broader efforts to make healthcare more affordable.
