Disappearing Prescriptions: China Corruption Campaign Prompts Physician Caution

Costly Cancer Drug Use Under Scrutiny

While there are already restrictions on the prescribing of cancer drugs in China, oncologists in the world’s second-largest pharma market are also now being expected to strictly avoid off-label use, especially of costly imported therapies from multinationals.

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Physicians increasingly cautious about cancer drug prescriptions amid massive China anti-corruption crackdown • Source: Shutterstock

As China’s national anti-corruption campaign enters a new stage and goes deep into the local level, physicians in the country are becoming increasingly cautious about issuing prescriptions for high-value drugs, particularly in the oncology area.

In July, Beijing launched a massive clampdown on commercial and prescription irregularities in the health sector, affecting all aspects of the supply chain and including

Although many initially believed the campaign was targeting high-profile hospital presidents with the authority to procure and approve large purchases of drugs and devices, now it seems official attention is turning to physicians and their prescriptions,

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