Price composition analysis of blood glucose meters and blood glucose test strips in Hubei Province based on the World Health Organization/Health Action International standard survey method

doi:10.5246/jcps.2025.10.071

Journal of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (10): 954-966.DOI: 10.5246/jcps.2025.10.071

• Original articles • Previous Articles Next Articles

Price composition analysis of blood glucose meters and blood glucose test strips in Hubei Province based on the World Health Organization/Health Action International standard survey method

Jianing Zheng¹^,², Yushu Liu¹^,², Xi Wang¹^,², Hongye Li³, Chenxi Liu¹^,²^,^*()

¹ School of Medicine and Health Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
² Major Disciplinary Platform under Double First-Class Initiative for Liberal Arts at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Research Center For High-Quality Development of Hospitals), Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
³ University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA

Received:2025-04-20 Revised:2025-05-11 Accepted:2025-06-08 Online:2025-11-03 Published:2025-11-03
Contact: Chenxi Liu
Supported by:
Hubei Provincial Medical Institutions at all levels of basic drugs and drug bridging support policy projects; Research on the Integrated Development of Disease Prevention and Control and Medical Services in the XPCC under the Background of Healthy China (Grant No. BTJKJ2024003).

Abstract

Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the price and composition of blood glucose meters and blood glucose test papers in Hubei Province, so as to improve the affordability of blood glucose monitoring for diabetes patients. Using the standard survey method jointly developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI) for drug price composition analysis, central level data was collected through literature review, policy review, and interviews with key informants. Field research was conducted in Wuhan and Yichang to trace price data at various levels of the supply chain. At the central level, data shows that China has implemented multiple policies related to the management and pricing of blood glucose meters and test strips, but has not yet introduced price restrictions for blood glucose meters and test strips; At the supply chain level, data shows that the price composition of blood glucose meters and test strips in Hubei Province is mainly composed of manufacturer prices and retail markups, followed by supply chain taxes and wholesale markups. It can be seen from this that China has established a comprehensive medical device registration, sales, quality control and management standard system through a series of policies. At present, China has not issued price policies for blood glucose meters and blood glucose test papers. Therefore, we can reduce product prices by including medical insurance, government subsidies, competitive bidding, and reducing supply chain taxes, thus improving the affordability of blood glucose monitoring for diabetes patients.

Key words: WHO/HAI standard survey method, Hubei province, Blood glucose meters, Blood glucose test strips, Price composition

Supporting:

Jianing Zheng, Yushu Liu, Xi Wang, Hongye Li, Chenxi Liu. Price composition analysis of blood glucose meters and blood glucose test strips in Hubei Province based on the World Health Organization/Health Action International standard survey method[J]. Journal of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2025, 34(10): 954-966.

Figures/Tables 6

Table 1. Information on selected brands of blood glucose meters and blood glucose test strips in Wuhan and Yichang.

Table 2. Active policies relevant to supply chain and price of blood glucose meters and test strips.

Table 3. Prices by product and price composition by stage.

Table 4. Specific price components for each product.

References 24

[1]	Sun, H.; Saeedi, P.; Karuranga, S.; Pinkepank, M.; Ogurtsova, K.; Duncan, B.B.; Stein, C.; Basit, A.; Chan, J.C.N.; Mbanya, J.C.; Pavkov, M.E.; Ramachandaran, A.; Wild, S.H.; James, S.; Herman, W.H.; Zhang, P.; Bommer, C.; Kuo, S.; Boyko, E.J.; Magliano, D.J. IDF Diabetes Atlas: Global, regional and country-level diabetes prevalence estimates for 2021 and projections for 2045. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 2022, 183, 109119.
[2]	International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 10th edition. 2021.This article can be found online at https://diabetesatlas.org/idfawp/resource-files/2021/07/IDF_Atlas_10th_Edition_2021.pdf.
[3]	State Council of the People’s Republic of China. Opinions on the implementation of the Healthy China Initiative. 2019. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2019-07/15/content_ 5409492.htm.
[4]	Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance report on chronic diseases and risk factors in China (2018). Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House. 2021.
[5]	Jia, W.P.; Weng, J.P.; Zhu, D.L.; Ji, L.N.; Lu, J.M.; Zhou, Z.G.; Zou, D.J.; Guo, L.X.; Ji, Q.H.; Chen, L.; Chen, L.M.; Dou, J.T.; Guo, X.H.; Kuang, H.Y.; Li, L.; Li, Q.F.; Li, X.Y.; Liu, J.; Ran, X.W.; Shi, L.X.; Song, G.Y.; Xiao, X.H.; Yang, L.Y.; Zhao, Z.G.; Society, C.D. Standards of medical care for type 2 diabetes in China 2019. Diabetes Metab. Res. Rev. 2019, 35, e3158.
[6]	Ji, L.; Su, Q.; Feng, B.; Shan, Z.; Hu, R.; Xing, X.; Xue, Y. Glycemic control and self-monitoring of blood glucose in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes on insulin: baseline results from the COMPASS study. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 2016, 112, 82–87.
[7]	Yuan, L.; Guo, X.H.; Xiong, Z.Z.; Lou, Q.Q.; Shen, L.; Zhao, F.; Sun, Z.L.; Li, J.W. Self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetic patients in China: current status and influential factors. Chin. Med. J. 2014, 127, 201–207.
[8]	Yeaw, J.; Lee, W.C.; Aagren, M.; Christensen, T. Cost of self-monitoring of blood glucose in the United States among patients on an insulin regimen for diabetes. J. Manag. Care Pharm. 2012, 18, 21–32.
[9]	World Health Organization, Health Action International. Measuring medicine prices, availability, affordability and price components, 2nd edition. 2008. This article can be found online athttps://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-PSM-PAR-2008.3.
[10]	Wan, M.; Liu, J.Y.; Yu, G.Y.; Tong, S.J.; Ke, L.; Zhang, Y.; You, R.X. Availability and affordability of osteoporosis treatment drugs in Wuhan based on the WHO/HAI standard survey method. J. Chin. Pharm. Sci. 2023, 32, 417–425.
[11]	Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council of China. China import and export tariff (2023). 2023. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2023-01/02/content_5734605.htm.
[12]	State Council of the People’s Republic of China. Provisional Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Value-Added Tax (2017 Revision). 2017. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2017/content_5248215.htm.
[13]	Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, State Taxation Administration of the People's Republic of China. Notice on the adjustment of VAT rate. 2018. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2018-12/31/content_5439278.htm.
[14]	Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, State Taxation Administration of the People’s Republic of China, General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China. Announcement on deepening the relevant policies of Value-Added Tax reform. 2019. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2019-10/17/content_5441139.htm.
[15]	Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China. Law of Urban Maintenance and Construction Tax of the People’s Republic of China. 2020. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2020-08/11/content_5534188.htm.
[16]	State Council of the People’s Republic of China. Provisional provisions on the collection of additional education fees (2011 Revision). 2011. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/ 2011/content_1860811.htm.
[17]	State council of the People’s Republic of China. Opinions on further increasing financial investment in education. 2011. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/ gongbao/content/2011/content_1899500.htm.
[18]	State council of the People’s Republic of China. Notice on unifying the additional system of urban maintenance and construction tax and education fee for domestic and foreign-funded enterprises and individuals. 2010. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2010/content_1730697.htm.
[19]	Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China. Enterprise Income Tax Law of the People’s Republic of China (2018 Revision). 2018. This article can be found online at http://www.npc.gov.cn/zgrdw/npc/xinwen/2019-01/07/content_2070260.htm.
[20]	State Council of the People’s Republic of China. Regulations for the implementation of the enterprise income tax law of the People’s Republic of China (2019 Revision). 2019. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2019/content_5468940.htm.
[21]	Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, State Taxation Administration of the People’s Republic of China. Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on matters related to the collection and administration of VAT reduction and exemption policies for small-scale taxpayers of VAT. 2023. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2023-01/10/content_5736056.htm.
[22]	Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, State Taxation Administration of the People’s Republic of China. Announcement on Preferential Income Tax policies for Small and micro enterprises and Individual industrial and commercial households. 2023. This article can be found online at https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2023-03/27/content_5748507.htm.
[23]	Xiong, Y.; Wu D.M.; Mao G.J.; Tao, S.L.; Guo, M.J; Yan, Z.R.; Dong, M.J. Meta-analysis of the rate of reaching the standard frequency of self-blood glucose monitoring and its influencing factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in China. Modern Prevent. Med. 2024, 3, 507–513.
[24]	Klatman, E.L.; Jenkins, A.J.; Ahmedani, M.Y.; Ogle, G.D. Blood glucose meters and test strips: global market and challenges to access in low-resource settings. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019, 7, 150–160.

Price composition analysis of blood glucose meters and blood glucose test strips in Hubei Province based on the World Health Organization/Health Action International standard survey method

RichHTML

Knowledge

Abstract

Cite this article

share this article

Figures/Tables 6

References 24

Related Articles 0

Recommended Articles

Metrics

Comments