A new rule on centralized procurement of medical equipment for public medical and health institutions has been jointly issued by three departments. The National Health Commission, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration released the 'Notice on Further Improving the Centralized Procurement of Medical Equipment in Public Medical and Health Institutions,' effective from May 20, 2026. The notice was issued with the agreement of the Ministry of Finance.
The notice applies to all public medical and health institutions nationwide. Any medical equipment purchased with funds under budget management as stipulated and listed in the department's centralized procurement catalog must undergo departmental centralized procurement. Exceptions are made for emergency procurement due to force majeure such as severe natural disasters and public health emergencies. Medical institutions must first obtain configuration permits for Class A and Class B large medical equipment.
The centralized procurement work follows the principle of separating management, execution, and supervision responsibilities, emphasizing technical suitability, quality first, and reasonable pricing, and must be legally transparent without discriminatory clauses. Evaluation criteria include quality, price, and service, aiming for scale efficiency while guarding against 'involution-style' competition.
In terms of organizational structure, procurement is divided into three tiers. The National Health Commission continues to organize nationwide centralized procurement of Class A large medical equipment; provincial health administrative departments are responsible for centralized procurement of Class B large medical equipment and gradually include other high-investment, low-competition equipment, completing at least one round by the end of 2026; city-level pilot procurement requires each province to designate at least one city to conduct and complete one round of centralized procurement by the end of June 2027.
Additionally, the National Health Commission will establish a registration database for high-value medical equipment to promote price transparency. Provincial departments must upload procurement information for registration in a timely manner. For catalog formulation, national and provincial health administrative departments will separately formulate their respective centralized procurement catalogs and file them with the finance department at the same level. Catalogs for pilot cities will be studied and proposed by provincial departments. Procurement of Class B large medical equipment must not be delegated to city-level implementation.
Key steps also include: health administrative departments selecting one institution with strong professional capability and sound internal controls from non-profit legal entities as the procurement implementing agency; public medical institutions must scientifically set procurement requirements according to the 'Government Procurement Demand Management Measures,' with implementing agencies providing professional support and reasonably dividing procurement packages. During evaluation, abnormal low-price reviews must be strengthened, and a reporting system for major matters and annual status must be established. Provincial plans must be filed with the National Health Commission by the end of June 2026, and annual work reports must be submitted by the end of each year.
The notice requires all localities to raise awareness, uphold the public welfare nature, and strictly prohibit debt-financed purchases of large equipment; strengthen overall deployment and encourage the formation of inter-provincial or inter-city procurement alliances; enhance implementation safeguards and strictly accept financial, audit, and disciplinary inspection supervision, while conducting proper policy interpretation. The former Ministry of Health's 2007 notice on centralized medical device procurement is simultaneously repealed. If content from 2012 and 2013 related documents conflicts with this notice, this notice shall prevail.