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BEIJING, January 9 (TMTPOST) —— Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid failed to be included in China's national medical insurance drug list due to its high asking price, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) on Sunday.

A new round of China's national health insurance drug negotiations came to an end on Sunday. China's healthcare authorities declined to include Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 drug in the national medical insurance that would have allowed patients to get it at a cheaper price throughout the country.

Although Paxlovid could not be included in the medical insurance catalog, according to the recently released policies, all the medication mentioned in the 10th guidelines for COVID-19 treatment including Paxlovid, Azvudine, and Molnupiravir will be temporarily included in China's medical insurance until March 31.

However, the category for Azvudine in this negotiation is AIDS instead of COVID-19 infection. In other words, after March 31, the reimbursement of Paxlovid, Azvudine, and Molnupiravir for coronavirus treatment cannot be ensured.

A medical reform expert said that there is a possibility of re-evaluation and extension of the temporary medical insurance reimbursement time according to the corresponding documents.

Compared with temporary inclusion in medical insurance coverage, it is more formal for drugs to be included in national medical insurance. The low price given by China's healthcare authorities usually takes into account two factors: the pharmacoeconomic value of the drug and the affordability of the national medical insurance fund.

The NHSA pointed out that the reason for the failure of the Paxlovid-related negotiations was Pfizer's high quotation. Pfizer barely reduced the price in the negotiations of the bulk purchase. Due to limited funds for the national medical insurance in China, the COVID-19 infections and a large number of people who need drugs, affordability is the biggest consideration of the NHSA.

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