How to correctly and accurately report quantity is a key focus for pharmaceutical institutions in implementing centralized quantity based procurement. Recently, the 11th batch of national organized drug procurement and reporting work has officially started. The relevant person in charge of the National Organization for Drug Joint Procurement Office introduced that for the first time, the quantity reporting rule has added the option of reporting by brand to meet the diversified medication needs of the public. It also clarifies that medical institutions can independently purchase non selected drugs outside the centralized procurement agreement, avoiding a "one size fits all" approach. Gu Xiaofeng, head of the Information Department of the National Organization Drug Joint Procurement Office, introduced that the centralized procurement reporting work will be carried out from August 6th to August 25th. According to the Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting the Normalization and Institutionalization of Centralized Procurement of Drugs, all public medical institutions and military medical institutions are required to participate in quantity reporting. Public grassroots medical and health institutions, including community health service centers, township health centers, and community health service stations that manage or implement unified procurement of drugs, village clinics, etc., must participate in the reporting process in accordance with policy regulations. In order to meet the diversified medication needs of the masses, this centralized procurement has optimized the reporting rules and added the option of self reporting according to the brand. This not only respects clinical medication choices, but also takes into account patients' concerns about the brand, which is a response to the real clinical needs. But under the new rules, medical institutions also face many doubts. How should they report according to their brand? Gu Xiaofeng introduced that in the past, the centralized procurement of chemical drugs was reported based on the entire variety name, without distinguishing between brands. For this centralized procurement, medical institutions can report quantities according to actual needs, either without distinguishing between brands and by variety name, or by subdividing into specific brands and reporting quantities by brand; Some varieties can be reported by name, while others can be reported by brand. The available brands are all pharmaceutical companies that have completed information filling in the early stage, and there is no limit to the number of brands that medical institutions can fill in. What if the brand that reported the quantity is not selected? In response, Zheng Yi, director of the National Organization for Joint Drug Procurement Office, stated that if the manufacturer name reported by the medical institution is not selected, the corresponding reporting quantity will be transferred to the main supplier enterprise of the province for supply, and the medical institution will also need to complete the agreement quantity of the main supplier enterprise. Gu Xiaofeng reminds that the variety and specifications of each brand are different. If the brand reported by the medical institution is selected, the agreed quantity needs to be completed. Therefore, in the process of filling out the application, medical institutions should make good connections with policies and regulations such as "one product, two regulations", and reasonably choose the number of brands. How should medical institutions determine demand? Gu Xiaofeng introduced that in the reporting process, public medical institutions need to comprehensively consider changes in clinical needs and provide sufficient information. Whether by name or by brand, the total reported quantity of each variety shall not be less than 80% of the average procurement volume in 2023 and 2024. The average purchase volume data for each variety in 2023 and 2024 will be imported into the system as a reference for quantity reporting. An important manifestation of optimizing reporting rules is to respect clinical special needs. Gu Xiaofeng explained that for varieties with an upward trend in usage (varieties recommended by clinical guidelines with elevated status), efforts should be made to achieve 100% or even higher of the historical average procurement volume. But for varieties with limited indications, they can be truthfully reported based on the usage of indications, and it is allowed to reduce them appropriately on the basis of 80% of the historical average purchase quantity. For varieties whose expected usage may significantly decrease due to department adjustments or temporary medication in the past, medical institutions are also allowed to appropriately reduce the reported quantity according to actual needs. For medical services outside of basic medical insurance, such as special needs medical treatment, international medical treatment, and other medications that are not included in the reimbursement scope of basic medical insurance, they may not be included in the reimbursement scope. For varieties with significant uncertainty in usage, such as those related to seasonal epidemics, medical institutions can comprehensively consider the characteristics of the disease and report the quantity reasonably. Regarding the concern of some medical institutions that the selected drugs in centralized procurement cannot meet clinical medication needs, Zheng Yi stated that according to the centralized procurement policy, medical institutions are encouraged to prioritize the use of selected drugs, but it does not mean that only selected drugs are used. The requirement for centralized procurement agreement quantity is 60% to 80% of the hospital's reported quantity. If the selected drugs supplied cannot meet the clinical medication needs, the remaining part outside the agreement quantity allows medical institutions to independently choose to purchase selected drugs or non selected drugs according to actual needs. Since 2018, 10 batches of national organized drug procurement have cumulatively purchased 435 types of drugs. The constantly improving centralized procurement rules are like a "baton", which not only reduces the cost burden of "old drugs" on the public, but also frees up cost space to provide conditions for supporting the inclusion of new drugs in medical insurance. Seven rounds of national medical insurance drug catalog adjustments have cumulatively included 530 new drugs, better improving the quality and accessibility of medication for the public. The National Healthcare Security Administration and the National Organization Drug Joint Procurement Office stated that this centralized procurement will adhere to the principles of "stabilizing clinical practice, ensuring quality, preventing bid rigging, and combating internal competition". In the next step, each enterprise should do a good job in cost-benefit accounting, scientifically analyze the market competition pattern, adhere to rational quotation and honest operation, and jointly resist illegal behaviors such as bid rigging and collusion. (New Society)