Overview of the Children's Medicine Market

According to the data calculated by the global health Policy, as of 2009, there were 1.836 billion children under the age of 15 in the world, accounting for 27% of the world's total population. The sixth national population census data shows that the population of children aged 0-14 in China is 220 million, accounting for 16.6% of the total population. The country and society are also paying more attention to the safety and health of children, providing protection for their healthy growth through various means such as medical insurance. In recent years, with the rapid development of China's children's health insurance market, the coverage rate of medical insurance has significantly increased. The market competition for children's medicine is relatively small. There are few types of drugs specifically for children. As of May 2014, there were nearly 170000 domestic drug production approvals, over 3000 drug approvals specifically for children, involving over 400 varieties. Among the more than 400 varieties, the dosage form is mainly granules, and other new dosage forms suitable for children are less, and more than 80% are traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations mainly for colds. There are only a few manufacturers specialized in children's medicine. Among the more than 6000 pharmaceutical factories nationwide, there are only more than 1000 manufacturers involved in the production of children's medicine (the general name clearly indicates that it is children's medicine), of which more than 600 are specialized in children's chemical medicine, more than 900 are specialized in children's traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations, and only more than 10 are specialized in children's medicine. Most manufacturers specializing in the production of children's medication are state-owned holding enterprises that existed in the planned economy era, with aging varieties, slow marketing transformation, and weak brand awareness. Children's diseases are mainly common diseases, so the vast majority of children's drugs are common drugs, mainly including anti infective drugs, respiratory systems, and digestive systems. The growth rate remained above 10% in 2015. Foreign funded enterprises occupy a large market share in the domestic children's medicine market; Among domestic enterprises, some traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations exclusive varieties show strong brand advantages. Chemical enterprises can focus on the development of dosage forms and specifications more suitable for children to replace the market of foreign products. The overall market growth of children's drugs in China is good. The clinical use of chemical drugs is mainly, but the more it sinks to the grass-roots level, the higher the proportion of traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations will be used. However, there is still abuse of antibiotics at the grass-roots level; There are significant differences in medication structure and enterprise composition between tertiary hospitals and grassroots medical institutions; A group of well-known big brands have emerged in the three major fields of respiration, digestion, and anti infective drugs; There is a large demand for substitution in the children's medicine market in China.