[finished] Mon., March 31, 2025: Staff Seminar “Pricing and Innovation Responses to Insurance Coverage: Evidence from China” (online)

We regularly hold Staff Seminars for research presentations and information exchange among our researchers. We look forward to your participation.

* This online seminar is free to attend, and the details are as follows:

Date and Time

Monday, March 31, 2025 at 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm (JST)
*A question-and-answer session is scheduled at the end of the presentation.

Presenter

Ying Yao, Assistant Professor, Asian Growth Research Institute

Title

Pricing and Innovation Responses to Insurance Coverage: Evidence from China

Abstract

We examine how insurance coverage expansion shapes drug pricing and innovation in China’s pharmaceutical market. Using drug application and procurement data, we analyze how firms adjust R&D investment patterns and pricing in response to reimbursement coverage. While past studies in other markets suggest that broader insurance access might escalate prices through heightened demand or altered insurer negotiations, our preliminary findings reveal minimal price fluctuations, particularly in cancer drug area. However, firms appear to adjust their innovation strategies, particularly in response to broader market access opportunities. This research provides early insights into how China’s evolving insurance policies relate to pricing constraints and innovation strategies in the critical therapeutic area of cancer treatment.