Trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in China from 2016 to 2021: institutional, regional, and economic variations

ObjectiveAnalyze the provision and consumption of essential medicines (EMs) across healthcare institutions, regions, and levels of economic development. Evaluate the mechanisms by which EMs policies promote their own implementation.MethodsUsing national drug utilization monitoring database (2016–202...

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Main Authors: Mingyue Zhao, Chenglong Lin, Shengjie Ding, Yubei Han, Yuhan Zhao, Ali Hassen Gillani, Yu Fang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1555598/full
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author Mingyue Zhao
Mingyue Zhao
Mingyue Zhao
Chenglong Lin
Chenglong Lin
Chenglong Lin
Shengjie Ding
Shengjie Ding
Shengjie Ding
Yubei Han
Yubei Han
Yubei Han
Yuhan Zhao
Yuhan Zhao
Yuhan Zhao
Ali Hassen Gillani
Ali Hassen Gillani
Ali Hassen Gillani
Yu Fang
Yu Fang
Yu Fang
author_facet Mingyue Zhao
Mingyue Zhao
Mingyue Zhao
Chenglong Lin
Chenglong Lin
Chenglong Lin
Shengjie Ding
Shengjie Ding
Shengjie Ding
Yubei Han
Yubei Han
Yubei Han
Yuhan Zhao
Yuhan Zhao
Yuhan Zhao
Ali Hassen Gillani
Ali Hassen Gillani
Ali Hassen Gillani
Yu Fang
Yu Fang
Yu Fang
author_sort Mingyue Zhao
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveAnalyze the provision and consumption of essential medicines (EMs) across healthcare institutions, regions, and levels of economic development. Evaluate the mechanisms by which EMs policies promote their own implementation.MethodsUsing national drug utilization monitoring database (2016–2021), we perform a descriptive analysis to explore trends and disparities in EM provision and consumption across three institution levels, four regions (from 30 provinces), and different economic development levels in China. Key metrics include the average number and proportion of provided EMs and the consumption rate per healthcare institution. Utilize a two-way fixed-effects regression model to evaluate the relationship between EMs provision and consumption.FindingsThe average provided number of EMs is much lower than that in the national EMs list. Both provision (number and proportion) and consumption of EMs show institutional and regional disparities. There is a moderately positive correlation between EMs provided proportion and GDP (0.66, p < 0.01), while the provided proportion and consumption rate are moderately negatively correlated with GDP (−0.66, p < 0.01; −0.64, p < 0.01). In highly developed regions, EMs supply is highest but utilization lowest; in underdeveloped regions, provision is least but utilization relatively high.ConclusionThis study shows disparities in EM provision and consumption across institutions, regions, and economic levels in China. Although essential medicine policy coordination with other policies needs improvement, targeted interventions are needed to bridge gaps in less developed regions and promote medicine equity.
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spelling doaj-art-136fdc5dcd2a46449a468abf4c93a6df2025-08-20T02:33:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-06-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15555981555598Trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in China from 2016 to 2021: institutional, regional, and economic variationsMingyue Zhao0Mingyue Zhao1Mingyue Zhao2Chenglong Lin3Chenglong Lin4Chenglong Lin5Shengjie Ding6Shengjie Ding7Shengjie Ding8Yubei Han9Yubei Han10Yubei Han11Yuhan Zhao12Yuhan Zhao13Yuhan Zhao14Ali Hassen Gillani15Ali Hassen Gillani16Ali Hassen Gillani17Yu Fang18Yu Fang19Yu Fang20Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, ChinaCenter for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaShaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, ChinaCenter for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaShaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, ChinaCenter for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaShaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, ChinaCenter for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaShaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, ChinaCenter for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaShaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, ChinaCenter for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaShaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an, ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, ChinaCenter for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaShaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an, ChinaObjectiveAnalyze the provision and consumption of essential medicines (EMs) across healthcare institutions, regions, and levels of economic development. Evaluate the mechanisms by which EMs policies promote their own implementation.MethodsUsing national drug utilization monitoring database (2016–2021), we perform a descriptive analysis to explore trends and disparities in EM provision and consumption across three institution levels, four regions (from 30 provinces), and different economic development levels in China. Key metrics include the average number and proportion of provided EMs and the consumption rate per healthcare institution. Utilize a two-way fixed-effects regression model to evaluate the relationship between EMs provision and consumption.FindingsThe average provided number of EMs is much lower than that in the national EMs list. Both provision (number and proportion) and consumption of EMs show institutional and regional disparities. There is a moderately positive correlation between EMs provided proportion and GDP (0.66, p < 0.01), while the provided proportion and consumption rate are moderately negatively correlated with GDP (−0.66, p < 0.01; −0.64, p < 0.01). In highly developed regions, EMs supply is highest but utilization lowest; in underdeveloped regions, provision is least but utilization relatively high.ConclusionThis study shows disparities in EM provision and consumption across institutions, regions, and economic levels in China. Although essential medicine policy coordination with other policies needs improvement, targeted interventions are needed to bridge gaps in less developed regions and promote medicine equity.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1555598/fullessential medicines availabilityglobal healthequitable healthcare accessChina’s healthcare systemEMs availability and consumptionregional disparities
spellingShingle Mingyue Zhao
Mingyue Zhao
Mingyue Zhao
Chenglong Lin
Chenglong Lin
Chenglong Lin
Shengjie Ding
Shengjie Ding
Shengjie Ding
Yubei Han
Yubei Han
Yubei Han
Yuhan Zhao
Yuhan Zhao
Yuhan Zhao
Ali Hassen Gillani
Ali Hassen Gillani
Ali Hassen Gillani
Yu Fang
Yu Fang
Yu Fang
Trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in China from 2016 to 2021: institutional, regional, and economic variations
Frontiers in Public Health
essential medicines availability
global health
equitable healthcare access
China’s healthcare system
EMs availability and consumption
regional disparities
title Trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in China from 2016 to 2021: institutional, regional, and economic variations
title_full Trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in China from 2016 to 2021: institutional, regional, and economic variations
title_fullStr Trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in China from 2016 to 2021: institutional, regional, and economic variations
title_full_unstemmed Trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in China from 2016 to 2021: institutional, regional, and economic variations
title_short Trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in China from 2016 to 2021: institutional, regional, and economic variations
title_sort trends and disparity in the provision and consumption of essential medicines in china from 2016 to 2021 institutional regional and economic variations
topic essential medicines availability
global health
equitable healthcare access
China’s healthcare system
EMs availability and consumption
regional disparities
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1555598/full
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