One year of healthcare anti-corruption efforts: a persistent campaign

On May 27, the National Health Commission (NHC) released the 2024 Notice on Key Points for Rectifying Pharmaceutical Procurement and Sales and Medical Services Misconduct (“Notice”). The Notice is part of ongoing efforts to address misconduct in pharmaceutical procurement and sales and to improve the supervision and inspection system of medical services. While authorities continue to crack down on commercial bribery in pharmaceutical transactions, they are also focusing on illegal activities related to the procurement of medical devices.

The 2024 Notice largely continues the tasks from the previous year, with some modifications in wording. Additionally, it incorporates points discussed at the conference on centralised rectification of corruption in the pharmaceutical industry, held by the NHC and nine other departments in July last year:

• Focus on the procurement and sale of medicines, particularly in power-centralised, capital-intensive, and resource-rich areas like project bidding and procurement, project application, and new drug application.
• Focus on the misconduct of individuals responsible for key hospital departments.

Since the beginning of this year, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection’s (CCDI)?official website has published at least five articles on combating corruption in the pharmaceutical industry. These articles highlight sectors with significant power concentration, substantial capital investment, and abundant resources as the root causes of corruption. According to incomplete media statistics, more than 150 individuals in key leadership positions in the healthcare system and at hospital departments have been investigated this year. They include the leadership of local health commissions, healthcare security administrations, and medical product administrations, as well as the management of hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and universities, including notable institutions like Shanghai Tongji Hospital.?

The current anti-corruption campaign has focused on medical equipment procurement, a typical example of a sector with significant power concentration, capital investment, and resources. The CCDI's website has reported several cases of corruption in this area, along with local monitoring and investigation efforts. This underscores the government's commitment to combating corruption in the most influential and resource-heavy areas of the healthcare industry, with medical equipment procurement becoming a new frontline in the ongoing campaign.