26 January 2017 - China is set to add more than 300 new and traditional drugs to its list of medicines the state will help patients pay for, the first change in more than seven years that will boost treatments for cancer, kidney disease, hepatitis and haemophilia.

Blockbuster drugs such as GlaxoSmithKline's hepatitis drug Viread, AstraZeneca's heart drug Brilinta and Sanofi's chronic kidney disease drug Renvela were up for inclusion over the coming weeks, industry executives said, virtually guaranteeing an uplift in sales.

Industry insiders and analysts said oncology drugs were also likely to be added to national and regional lists. Poor access to targeted cancer drugs is a hot-button issue in China, where patients often take on crippling debts or turn to grey markets to get treatment.

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