Chinese medicine to the sea: In addition to quality, there are channels

Pharmaceutical Network January 11 With the promotion of 'Belt and Road', Chinese medicine has ushered in the golden age of sea. However, in order to gain a foothold in the mainstream markets in Europe and the United States, domestic enterprises must not only improve product quality but also build their own overseas Distribution channels.

As the country vigorously promotes international cooperation in the 'One Belt and One Road', the golden era of 'going global' for Chinese medicine is rapidly gaining momentum. The data show that Chinese traditional medicine has been exported to 185 countries and regions in the world. Quarter, China's import and export of traditional Chinese medicine 3.71 billion US dollars, an increase of 7.40%, of which exports 2.6 billion US dollars, imports 1.166 billion US dollars.

However, some bottlenecks still need to be overcome. How to break the bottleneck of traditional Chinese medicine trade, increase the export share, and promote the healthy and stable development of internationalization of Chinese medicine have become the focus of common concern in the industry.

Abroad set or improve the relevant technical requirements, making Chinese medicine in the global promotion and use of many restrictions

Registration of higher barriers to entry is the inevitable reality of the internationalization of Chinese medicine.Chinese Medicines and Health Products Import and Export Chamber of Commerce experts pointed out that the Chinese medicine department, at present, Chinese medicine products and more food, health products, dietary supplements, food additives and other forms of entry Overseas markets, its drug Of the real 'identity' has not been widely recognized, the special role of traditional Chinese medicine health is also difficult to fully display.

The EU issued Directive 2004/24 / EC on the Registration of Traditional Botanical Medicines in the EU in 2004, requiring that all botanical drugs marketed in the EU must be registered under the new regulations by April 30, 2011 to be listed Permits; Canada released the Natural Health Product Stewardship Code in 2004, requiring all natural medicines / botanicals marketed in Canada to be submitted to the Ministry of Health by January 1, 2010, only after they are reviewed and licensed After the listing can be.Registered access to this threshold to become a major Chinese medicine products go out a 'flawed'.

'Chinese medicine overseas registration will be more and more strict.'medicine Zhang Ruidian, president of the Chinese Traditional Chinese Medicine Chamber of Commerce, said at the Forum on TCM Overseas Development and Trade Matchmaking recently held by Economic Daily reporter that 'such as pilose antlers require certificates of origin to prove whether the deer is healthy and whether there are any adverse effects after taking the medicine '

In addition, foreign countries to develop or improve the relevant technical requirements, many Chinese herbal medicines do not meet the requirements of the European and American Pharmacopoeia, making the promotion and use of Chinese medicine in the world are subject to many restrictions.

'Such as heavy metal content, pesticide residues, microorganisms and antibiotics and other indicators do not meet the standards of European and American markets.' All European TCM co-chair, president of the Netherlands Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine Dong Zhilin believes that proprietary Chinese medicines overseas registration problems, mainly domestic enterprise For overseas requirements do not understand, such as musk, broad-leaved woody species are endangered animals and plants in foreign restrictions on imports .In his opinion, domestic enterprises to prohibit the doping of Western medicine or contain protected endangered species of wild animals and plants of Chinese medicine exports, Management of heavy metals and pesticide residues.

Loss of overseas circulation channels is also one of the obstacles.Medical Insurance Chamber of Commerce experts pointed out that most of the domestic Chinese medicine products in the absence of their own circulation channels, the product will generally be sent to the Customs and Excise Department will no longer participate in product sales, can not directly reach the terminal consumption In the hands of this'proxy People 'sales model, increasing the trade risk, the lack of brand benefits.In addition, the international trade of traditional Chinese medicine only simple export products as the main purpose, not according to the international market and R & D varieties of new trends and new trends in targeted production, in To a certain extent, it also limits the sales and circulation of Chinese medicine products.

Enhance standards with international, curve into the global market after all, a breakthrough strategy

During the interview, some experts talked about China's laws and regulations of traditional Chinese medicine as well as standards and standards of the countries in the world .According to experts, only if the relevant requirements of the convergence, the Chinese medicine trade in services can be bigger and stronger.In Zhang Rui-side view, in the "Chinese medicine Law "and a series of policy documents to protect and promote, according to the law can solve many problems.

'Chinese Pharmacopoeia pesticide residue standards can also be properly raised.' 'Wu Gang, Australian Chinese medicine, said the need to promote the Chinese Pharmacopoeia standards and the mutual recognition of mutual recognition.At present, Australia to accept the Korean and Japanese Pharmacopoeia standards but does not accept the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Canada can cite Chinese Pharmacopoeia, but does not recognize the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. 'Only by upgrading their own standards in order to develop and survive, otherwise negotiating feel very weak.'

In addition, the experts called for the quality of clearance, to represent the quality of Chinese medicine products go out Wu Gang stressed that the current export standards uneven, companies can not be sold overseas to make defective products, to keep the reputation of Chinese medicine, so as to usher in a vast market prospect.

'We must ensure the safety of Chinese medicine exports, do not mix western medicine, do not need endangered wildlife, and ensure that indicators such as heavy metals and pesticide residues pass the test.' "Dong Zhilin said he also reminded domestic pharmaceutical companies to pay attention to details, for example, the domestic export packaging design often Logo is not clear and so on.

At present, it is an indisputable fact that the domestic varieties of Chinese medicines have a low market share in the European and American markets. In this context, many Chinese exporters choose to use Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea as the springboard to further expand the market in Europe and the United States. Break the policy.

Chen Guoqing, general manager of the Philippine Jinling Import and Export Trading Company, pointed out that it is possible to try the route of "encircling the cities from the countryside", first to enter the markets in Southeast Asia and then to the U.S. market and call for the formation of a dialogue mechanism with the other regulatory agencies.

Despite the considerable resistance, it is undeniable that Chinese medicine is gaining world recognition step by step. According to the data from the Department of International Cooperation of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, up to now, China has signed 86 cooperation agreements with foreign governments, regions and organizations Agreement; as of the end of 2016, 17 Chinese medicine overseas centers have been set up in the countries and regions of the "Belt and Road Initiative"; hundreds of Chinese medicine institutes have been opened in more than 30 countries and regions; in addition, Chinese medicine has been actively involved in our country And 14 countries and regions in the free trade area negotiations, in order to reduce access to traditional Chinese medicine market and reduce trade barriers.

Reporter also noted that the standard has also made great progress. "Chinese medicine - 37 herbs" international standards in Kunming recently issued the implementation of this is the field of traditional Chinese medicine, "ginseng seed seedlings," and "heavy metal detection of herbal" International Standards, developed the first international standards for the quality evaluation of medicinal products.Chinese Medicine Technical Committee of the International Organization for Standardization has so far released 22 international standards of Chinese medicine, and 49 are under development.

In addition, experts advise that traditional Chinese medicine should go out together to achieve medicine with medicine and medicine to promote medicine will greatly enhance the influence of Chinese medicine overseas.

Chinese medicine exports big data

According to statistics from the Healthcare Business Association, in the first three quarters of 2017, Chinese medicines were exported to 118 countries and regions, mainly the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, ASEAN and South Korea.

United States: In the past, Japan was the largest market for Chinese herbal medicine exports. The United States has been only the second or third largest market for Chinese herbal medicine exports and maintained a relatively high growth in the past two years. However, in the first three quarters of 2017, the U.S. market Leapt to become the first market of Chinese medicine exports in 2017. In the first three quarters of 2017, China's exports to the United States amounted to 425 million U.S. dollars, accounting for 16.36% of China's total exports of Chinese medicines. Among them, Health products The export of raw materials to the United States increased greatly year on year.

Japan: China's exports to the Japanese market in the first three quarters increased by 36.40% year-on-year with an export volume of 370 million U.S. dollars, up slightly by 3.35% year-on-year. China's exports to Japan are mainly extracts and Chinese herbal medicines, Export of extracts in terms of both the quantity and the amount of exports have a year-on-year growth.

Hong Kong, China: Hong Kong continues to be the third largest market for mainland Chinese medicine exports. Its exports in the first three quarters were 340 million U.S. dollars, down by 15.30% on a year-on-year basis. The role of Hong Kong as a transit point for export trade is still on the decline.

South Korea: China exported 150 million U.S. dollars worth of traditional Chinese medicines to South Korea in the first three quarters of 2017, a year-on-year decrease of 13.47% .China's exports to South Korea are mainly extracts of Chinese herbal medicines and Chinese herbal medicines. In the first three quarters, 73,394,500 US dollars, down 20.63%.

Europe: China exported 444 million U.S. dollars of Chinese traditional medicine to Europe in the first three months of 2017, down slightly by 1.66% over the same period of last year. China's exports to Europe are mainly extracts. Several major markets for export of Chinese medicines to Europe are Germany, Spain and France.