A pharmacist picks medicines at a smart pharmacy of the First People's Hospital in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. [Photo by Geng Yuhe/For China Daily]

Move could save diabetes patients as much as 9 billion yuan each year

Insulin manufacturers have slashed their prices by an average of 48 percent to be eligible for China's latest bulk-buy program aimed at reducing the burden of medical expenses, the National Healthcare Security Administration said.

The price cut is expected to save patients 9 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) a year, the administration said in a statement released on Friday.

Insulin therapy is a vital treatment for people living with diabetes to keep their blood sugar levels within a normal range.

In China, more than 116 million adults have diabetes, and the incidence rate stands at nearly 11 percent－one of the highest in the world, according to data from the International Diabetes Federation.

Ji Linong, head of Peking University People's Hospital's endocrinology department, said that about 50 million to 60 million people in China with diabetes have been diagnosed, but only 10 million of them receive regular insulin treatment.