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Table 1 Overall price differences for all drugs and for drugs in various subcategories (2009–2010)

From: Effects of the National Essential Medicine System in reducing drug prices: an empirical study in four Chinese provinces

Category

N

Price (in Chinese yuan)

Price chang (%)

   

2009

2010

p-value

 

Category(1)

Western medicines

7897

4.5

2.1

<0.01

−41.6

 

TCMs

3091

10.8

8.1

<0.01

−24.3

Category(2)

NEDs

7768

5.0

2.6

<0.01

−35.3

 

PEDs

3220

9.0

5.5

<0.01

−32.9

Region

Shandong

7897

3.5

1.9

<0.01

−40.0

 

Zhejiang

3091

7.4

4.1

<0.01

−33.6

 

Anhui

7768

5.0

2.2

<0.01

−37.0

 

Ningxia

3220

2.6

2.4

<0.01

−4.8

Total

 

10988

5.7

3.0

<0.01

−34.4

  1. Note: United States dollar = 6.8 Chinese yuan.
  2. p value refers to nonparametric test for statistical difference of prices between the two periods.
  3. TCMs, traditional Chinese medicines; NEDs, national essential drugs; PEDs, provincial essential drugs.