Fifty-five drug varieties have been included in the latest round of national centralized drug procurement, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration.

The administration has initiated the 11th round of procurement following a three-stage screening process, China Central Television reported on Tuesday.

An official from the administration said the procurement aims to stabilize clinical supply, ensure quality, prevent bid collusion, and oppose vicious competition.

The procurement varieties are all those that have been on the market for many years, are off-patent, and produced by multiple manufacturers — meaning that only clinically mature products will be included in centralized procurement. Innovative drugs will not be included, the official said.

Varieties with procurement amounts less than 1 billion yuan ($14 million) on provincial centralized drug procurement platforms in 2024 will not be included. Based on clinical usage and incorporating opinions from relevant departments and experts, some key monitored antibacterial drugs and drugs with frequent adverse reactions are also excluded from this round.

National centralized drug procurement consistently prioritizes "high quality" over "low price", the administration said, adding that this round adds new requirements regarding manufacturers' quality control capabilities.

An official from the National Medical Products Administration said that drug regulatory authorities will continue to implement full coverage of both inspections of winning manufacturers and sampling tests of winning products.