NHSA to Improve the Pharmaceutical Price and Tendering and Procurement Credit Evaluation System

The National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) has recently issued the Circular on Further Improving the Pharmaceutical Price and Tendering and Procurement Credit Evaluation System (the "Circular").

The Circular primarily adjusts the evaluation grades and criteria as follows: First, it supplements the original case sources of court judgments and penalty decisions from relevant law enforcement and administrative authorities with audit reports, audit information, and audit referral documents. Second, the original four-tier grading system— "General," "Moderate," "Serious," and "Especially Serious"—has been consolidated into three levels: "Default," "Serious Default," and "Especially Serious Default," with stricter evaluation standards applied accordingly. Third, penalties will be more precise and rigorous. Fourth, the relevant procedures are refined. The Circular stipulates that enterprises found to have bribed officials of healthcare security agencies or participated in bid rigging or collusion in centralized and target-quantity procurement organized by the State will be subject to the highest penalty level— "Especially Serious Default." In addition, the evaluation and enforcement will, in principle, extend through to the marketing authorization holders (MAHs), thereby enhancing scrutiny of manufacturers.



(Source: https://www.nhsa.gov.cn/art/2025/6/5/art_104_16740.html)

Note: The link to the Chinese official website of the document is for your reference.