[Explanation] On April 27, the National Health Commission held a press conference. At the press conference, Jiao Yahui, director of the Medical Administration and Hospital Administration Bureau of the Health Commission, introduced that the five-year survival rate of malignant tumors in China has increased to 40.5%.
[Concurrent] Jiao Yahui, Director of the Medical Administration and Hospital Administration of the National Health Commission
According to the statistics of the National Cancer Center, with the improvement of my country's medical quality and diagnosis and treatment capabilities, the five-year survival rate of malignant tumors has increased from 30.9% ten years ago to the current 40.5%, an increase of nearly 10%. For malignant tumors such as esophageal cancer, the five-year survival rate is higher than that of developed countries such as the United States.
[Explanation] He Jie, director of the National Cancer Center, also said at the press conference that cancer has become a worldwide problem, and the incidence and death of cancer are also increasing in China.
But on the whole, China's treatment of cancer has improved and improved with the development of the economy and the advancement of medicine.
He specifically mentioned that there are sometimes cases of over-indications and over-guided medications in cancer treatment, which should be treated scientifically and strictly supervised.
[Concurrent] He Jie, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of National Cancer Center
The development of medicine is an exploratory science. Many standards include international practices. The standards were formulated a few years ago, and the current situation has developed. Therefore, it is very likely that the drug indications approved now or the treatment plans written into the guidelines If there are lagging behind, then the patients should be given some super-indications or super-guided treatments based on relatively sufficient clinical evidence, in order to explore the diagnosis and treatment effects, and in fact, there are many drugs that are beyond the indications and are also effective.
However, we also need to emphasize that clinical pharmacology institutions and ethics committees should strictly supervise these clinical studies in the development of super-indications and super-therapeutic guidelines, which are innovations in clinical treatment and are not included in over-treatment or super-adaptation. Symptoms, it can be implemented under strict monitoring.
[Explanation] At present, many anti-tumor drugs are on the market one after another, and the country has also conducted medical insurance negotiations.
In this regard, Hejie said that methods such as national medical insurance negotiations have led to a substantial reduction in the price of anti-tumor drugs and improved accessibility.
[Concurrent] He Jie, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of National Cancer Center
There is a set of data. In 2020, the average number of anti-tumor drugs negotiated by the hospitals monitored by the surveillance network has increased by 15% over the previous year. The average number of inpatients using these drugs has increased by 6%, while the average cost has dropped by 8%. Among them, the cost of more expensive immunotherapy drugs and targeted therapy drugs has dropped by 50%-70%.
This shows that the availability of anti-tumor drugs has been significantly improved.
[Explanation] In addition, Hejie introduced that by monitoring the rational diagnosis and treatment of tumors and the rational use of anti-tumor drugs, the entire medical behavior standard can be strengthened.
[Concurrent] He Jie, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of National Cancer Center
For example, in 2020, we conducted statistics on hospitals monitored and found that the gold standard for pathological examination of patients using anti-tumor drugs has increased by 6% compared with the previous year, which means it is more standardized.
[Explanation] Hejie emphasized that in the future, the National Cancer Center will continue to monitor the clinical application of anti-tumor drugs, analyze, evaluate and improve the use of key drugs, and better guide the clinical rational allocation and use of anti-tumor drugs. Provide a reference basis for the National Health Commission's assessment of various medical institutions.
Reporter Wen Mengxin reports from Beijing
Editor in charge: [Lu Yan]