Premier Li Keqiang presided over an executive meeting of the State Council, China's Cabinet, on Thursday, to determine ways to make medical services better meet patients' needs and improve their efficiency and make them more convenient. As one of the measures, all common imported drugs including cancer drugs, cancer alkaloid-based drugs, and imported traditional Chinese medicines will be exempt from tariffs from May 1.

China will also encourage imports of innovative new drugs to benefit Chinese patients. Meanwhile, the authorities will reduce the prices of cancer drugs through centralized government procurement and eliminate premium prices for drugs by means of cross-border e-commerce in order to reduce the economic burden on patients being treated for cancer. Imported innovative drugs, especially much-needed cancer drugs, will be incorporated into the catalogue of medical insurance reimbursement.

In addition, imports of innovative drugs will be accelerated and they will come into the market at an earlier date.

The authorities will also strengthen the intellectual property protection of the imported drugs. And imported drugs' quality supervision will be enhanced, as well.