The reporter learned from the Provincial Department of Health that at present, the first batch of 453 bid-winning products for essential drugs in the province has been formally announced. Compared with the actual purchase prices of primary health care institutions in Shandong in 2010, the bid price dropped by 6.67%.

Shandong proposed a target. Before June 30 of this year, government-run grass-roots medical and health institutions in 25 counties (cities, districts) involving six cities should all be equipped with essential drugs and sell at zero margin. "In addition to establishing a stable and long-lasting multi-channel compensation mechanism, safe, cheap and adequate supply of essential drugs is also the key to the implementation of this policy." Experts in the medical field said.

The timetable and method for the procurement and distribution of essential drugs have also been finalized. Before the end of April, all units remitted the first batch of national essential drug circulating gold remittances to the special account of provincial drug mining center. 216 kinds of supplemental medicines in Shandong and the first round of procurement of partially-standardized products will be announced in mid-April, and procurement will be completed in mid-to-late June.

At the same time, the village clinics that implement the basic medicine system have their medicines integrated and purchased by the township hospitals under integrated management. In the village clinics that have not implemented the basic drug system, their medicines are still purchased and distributed according to the original channels or determined by the municipalities themselves according to actual conditions.