A special issue of PharmacoEconomics has been published, devoted to studies addressing China’s current health care system from a health economics and outcomes research perspective.

The issue, available on SpringerLink, features contributions from important and influential figures including Wannian Liang, Head of the Office of Healthcare Reform in China’s Ministry of Health, and, from Peking University, Professor Gordon Liu – a thought leader of health economics in China. Eric Qiong Wu and Jipan Xie, both from Analysis Group, were Guest Editors for the issue, along with Lizheng Shi of Tulane University.
Studies published in this issue highlight areas of particular challenge in the state’s health care reform initiatives and provide interesting findings with implications for policy and medical decision-making.

Chris Carswell, Editor of PharmacoEconomics, commented:

“As China expands its efforts to reform the national health care system, the need for rigorous, relevant health economics and outcomes research will grow. It was an honour to work with such prominent researchers to create this very topical issue”.

This special issue includes the following articles:

• Cost–Utility Analysis of the Newly Recommended Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Resectable Gastric Cancer Patients in the 2011 Chinese National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Gastric Cancer
• Does Economic Incentive Matter for Rational Use of Medicine? China’s Experience from the Essential Medicines Program
• Time Trends and Determinants of Pharmaceutical Expenditure in China (1990–2009)
• Impacts of Health Insurance Benefit Design on Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Use and Inpatient Costs among Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction in Shanghai, China
• The Impact of the Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance on Health Services Utilisation in China
• Pharmaceutical Pricing: An Empirical Study of Market Competition in Chinese Hospitals
• Treatment, Monitoring, and Economic Outcomes of Venous Thromboembolism Among Hospitalized Patients in China
• The Role of Health Economics and Outcomes Research in Health Care Reform in China (OPEN ACCESS)

PharmacoEconomics is the benchmark journal for peer-reviewed, authoritative and practical articles on the application of health economic and quality-of-life assessment to optimum drug therapy and health outcomes. An invaluable source of applied pharmacoeconomic original research and educational material for the healthcare decision maker, the journal is dedicated to the clear communication of complex health economic issues related to patient care and drug utilisation. PharmacoEconomics is indexed in Medline and has an Impact Factor of 2.86.