In April 2011, the China Guidelines for Pharmacoeconomic Evaluations (2011 Edition) was first released in mainland China. The guidelines were designed to assist decision-makers in their policymaking, provide recommendations for researchers, and improve the quality of pharmacoeconomic reports. Subsequently, the editorial team continuously refined and expanded the content, publishing the second edition in 2015 and the third edition in 2020.

Compared with the previous editions, the China Guidelines for Pharmacoeconomic Evaluations (2020 Edition) offers richer content, integrates China’s empirical context with international developments, supports researchers in improving the rigor and quality of their reports, and facilitates evidence-informed decision-making in pharmacoeconomic evaluations. Following its release, the guidelines underwent review by the 26th Executive Council Meeting of the 24th Council of the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and approved as a Group Standard, drafted by the Association’s Pharmacoeconomics Committee.

This series of guidelines has garnered extensive recognition within both academic and professional communities. For four consecutive years, it has functioned as the exclusive reference framework for pharmacoeconomic evaluations employed in the adjustment of the National Reimbursement Drug List by the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA). At the international level, it continues to constitute the only comprehensive and systematic resource delineating the general framework and methodological standards for pharmacoeconomic evaluation in China.

The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), the world’s largest organization in the field of health economics and outcomes research, has recommended the China Guidelines for Pharmacoeconomic Evaluations (2020 Edition) on its official website as the authoritative reference for pharmacoeconomic evaluations in China.