title: A survey of the availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines in Jiangsu Province, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Field surveys conducted in China before the implementation of the essential medicine policy showed that Chinese individuals faced less access to essential medicines. This paper aims to evaluate the availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines in Jiangsu Province, China after the implementation of the policy in 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Jiangsu in 2013 using the World Health Organization/Health Action International (WHO/HAI) methodology. Data on the availability and prices of 50 essential medicines were collected from the public and private healthcare sectors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean availabilities of innovator brands and lowest priced generics (LPGs) were 11.5% and 100% in primary healthcare facilities, 36.8% and 32.6% in the secondary and tertiary sectors, and 18.7% and 42.9% in the private sector, respectively. The median price ratios (MPRs) were 1.26 to 2.05 for generics and 3.76 to 27.22 for innovator brands. Treating ten common diseases with LPGs was generally affordable, whereas treatment with IBs was less affordable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high availability of LPGs at primary healthcare facilities reflects the success of the essential medicine policy, while the low availability in secondary and tertiary levels and in private pharmacies reflects a failure to implement the policy in these levels. The health policy should be fully developed and enforced at the secondary and tertiary levels and in the private sector to ensure equitable access to health services.
authors: School of International Pharmaceutical Business at China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Street, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. cpuxixiaoyu@163.com.
authors: Xiaoyu
authors: X
authors: Xi
authors: School of International Pharmaceutical Business at China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Street, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. liweixia1990@126.com.
authors: Weixia
authors: W
authors: Li
authors: School of International Pharmaceutical Business at China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Street, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. lijun0607@163.com.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: School of International Pharmaceutical Business at China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Street, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. zhuxuan1022@163.com.
authors: Xuan
authors: X
authors: Zhu
authors: School of International Pharmaceutical Business at China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Street, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. fucong0909@126.com.
authors: Cong
authors: C
authors: Fu
authors: School of International Pharmaceutical Business at China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Street, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. weixu8525@126.com.
authors: Xu
authors: X
authors: Wei
authors: School of International Pharmaceutical Business at China Pharmaceutical University, No.639 Longmian Street, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. csz77844@163.com.
authors: Shuzhen
authors: S
authors: Chu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003132:Commerce; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018954:Drugs, Essential / Q000191:economics*; D005382:Financing, Personal; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010594:Pharmacies; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D018954:Drugs, Essential