Chinese department will not further negotiate with Pfizer on Paxlovid: insiders

(ECNS) -- China's National Healthcare Security Administration will not further negotiate with Pfizer on adding Paxlovid to the medical insurance catalog, Chinese financial outlet Yicai quoted an insider as saying on Wednesday.

The NHSA showed "great sincerity" during the negotiation with the representatives of Pfizer, but Paxlovid didn't make it on the reimbursement list as the two parties retained large disparities, the insider said. Normally, negotiations are held once a year.

The drug instructions said Paxlovid is applied to most COVID-19 patients. With a huge population base, the amount needed would be very large, so the medical insurance department must take government funds and social affordability into consideration, according to the sources.