China to control some Rx prices, despite WTO

While China is easing up on setting prices for many goods and servicesfrom August, ahead of its accession to the World Trade Organization, the government will retain control over the pricing of some pharmaceuticals.

Medicines are one of 13 strategic product categories, out of 141, where the government will retain control of pricing. Others include natural gas, electric power, transport and basic telecommunications services, says the Chinese State Development Planning Commission.

China also said that it would begin to make the pricing mechanism more transparent, reports Reuters, which noted that the government would make public the rules for holding public hearings on pricing policy decisions.