National Health And Family Planning Commission Research Articles

A Dataset on the Dynamic Monitoring of Health and Family Planning of China’s Internal Migrants: A Multi-Wave Large-Scale, National Cross-Sectional Survey from 2009 to 2018

This data article presents data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS), a multi-wave, large-scale national cross-sectional survey of China’s internal migrants from 2009 to 2018. The CMDS is an annual questionnaire survey conducted by the former National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of the People’s Republic of China. The respondents included in this survey are internal migrants over IS years old. The sample was drawn from the China Migrant Population Information System, using multi-stage stratified sampling method and the probability proportional-to-size (PPS) cluster sampling strategy. Between 2009 and 2018, there were 1,527,650 internal migrants from 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and 4 municipalities participated in the surveys. The survey tools were a series of self-designed questionnaires with high inheritance and consistency designed and implemented by the NHFPC. The questionnaires mainly contain basic information of the respondents and their family members, migration status, healthcare or health behaviors, public health service utilization, social insurance, social integration, and family planning. The dataset is currently the most widely used survey data on China’s internal migrants, offering information on migration patterns, healthcare and health behaviors, use of public health services, access to social security, social integration, and family planning, which are valuable for health planning, health decision-making, and health equity research.

Using Weibo and WeChat social media channels to assess public awareness and practices related to antimicrobial resistance, China, 2019

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global healthcare problem, including in China where high rates of resistance to common bacterial infections have been documented. In 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) in China established a comprehensive strategic plan to increase awareness about AMR through education programs.MethodsWe conducted an online survey to assess changes in public knowledge, awareness and practices related to AMR in China since 2016. The survey was administered using China’s national and provincial level 12320 Health Hotline Weibo (micro-blog site) and WeChat (text messaging service) social media accounts from April 12, 2019 to May 7, 2019. All persons ≥16 years of age able to read Chinese were eligible to participate.ResultsA total of 2773 respondents completed the survey. Of the 2633 respondents indicating recent use of antibiotics, 84% (2223) reported obtaining their course of antibiotics from a hospital or pharmacy, 9% (246) of respondents reported using antibiotics saved from a previous prescription or treatment course, and 42% (1115) of respondents reported that they had stopped taking antibiotics as soon as they started feeling better. Most respondents correctly indicated that antibiotics can effectively treat urinary tract infections (86% [2388]) and skin infections (76% [2119]), but many incorrectly indicated that antibiotics can also treat viral infections such as measles (32% [889]) or a cold or flu (26% [726]). Of all respondents, 95% (2634) had heard of ‘antibiotic resistance’. Almost half (47% [1315]) reported using antibiotics within the last 6 months.ConclusionWhile awareness of AMR was high in this survey of social media users in China, inappropriate antibiotic use remains common, including the believe that antibiotics can effectively treat viral infections. Multiple interventions targeting the correct use of antibiotics and information on the cause AMR are likely needed. The 12320 Health Hotline provides a platform for conducting routine surveys to monitor antibiotic use and knowledge about AMR.

Implementation of National Health Informatization in China: Survey About the Status Quo.

BackgroundThe National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) in China organized a nationwide survey to investigate the informatization in hospitals and regional Health and Family Planning Commissions (HFPCs) in 2017. The survey obtained valid results from 79.69% (2021/2536) of major hospitals and 81% (26/32) of provincial and 73.1% (307/420) of municipal HFPCs. The investigated topics covered hardware infrastructure, information resources, applications, systems, and organizations in health informatics.ObjectiveThis study aimed to provide evidence collected from the survey regarding China’s health informatization and assist policy making regarding health informatics in the 13th Five-Year Plan of China.MethodsBased on the survey, the paper presented the status quo of China’s health informatization and analyzed the progress and potential problems in terms of the country’s health information development policies.ResultsRelated policies have helped to construct 4-level information platforms and start converging the regional data to the 3 centralized databases. The principle of informatics has been transiting from finance-centered to people-centered. Alternatively, the quality, usability, and interoperability of the data still need to be improved.ConclusionsThe nationwide survey shows that China’s health informatization is rapidly developing. Current information platforms and databases technically support data exchanging between all provinces and cities. As China is continuing to improve the infrastructure, more advanced applications are being developed upon it.

The landscape of vaccines in China: history, classification, supply, and price

BackgroundVaccine regulation in China meets World Health Organization standards, but China’s vaccine industry and immunization program have some characteristics that differ from other countries. We described the history, classification, supply and prices of vaccines available and used in China, compared with high-and middle-incomes countries to illustrate the development of Chinese vaccine industry and immunization program.MethodsImmunization policy documents were obtained from the State Council and the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC). Numbers of doses of vaccines released in China were obtained from the Biologicals Lot Release Program of the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC). Vaccine prices were obtained from Chinese Central Government Procurement (CCGP). International data were collected from US CDC, Public Health England, European CDC, WHO, and UNICEF.ResultsBetween 2007 and 2015, the annual supply of vaccines in China ranged between 666 million and 1,190 million doses, with most doses produced domestically. The government’s Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) prevents 12 vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) through routine immunization. China produces vaccines that are in common use globally; however, the number of routinely-prevented diseases is fewer than in high- and middle-income countries. Contract prices for program (EPI) vaccines ranged from 0.1 to 5.7 US dollars per dose - similar to UNICEF prices. Contract prices for private-market vaccines ranged from 2.4 to 102.9 US dollars per dose - often higher than prices for comparable US, European, and UNICEF vaccines.ConclusionChina is a well-regulated producer of vaccines, but some vaccines that are important globally are not included in China’s EPI system in China. Sustained and coordinated effort will be required to bring Chinese vaccine industry and EPI into an era of global leadership.

Same Bed, Different Dreams? Structural Factors and Leadership Characteristics of Central Government Agency Reform in China

ABSTRACTThe reorganization of government agencies can be studied as a pre-reform process in terms of the structural changes made, or as a post-reform process in terms of the effects of the reorganization. In this study of two mergers of agencies in China’s central administration, we focus on structural features and the post-merger process, paying special attention to structural and cultural integration. Our qualitative analyses reveal that the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) is considered to have been more successful in merging agencies and integrating functions than the State Administration for Press, Publications, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT). We found that using physical arrangements and leadership features as explanatory variables generated helpful theoretical and policy implications for organizational architecture and public sector reforms.

Understanding the administrative regulation on occupational health and trend in China.

With the immense economic growth and social development, China has gained worldwide attention. With the quick growth of industrialization, several international professionals are gaining interest in occupational management system and in the role of the Chinese Government in protecting the worker's health. The Law on Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases and the Work Safety Law are the two most important laws in China, which highlight the responsibilities of the employer, employee, governmental agencies, authorized occupational health service agency, and other stakeholders. The State Council comprises two departments, namely, the State Administration on Work Safety (SAWS) and the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), which are responsible for governing the occupational health work. A series of regulations and standards have been promulgated by the Chinese Government to encourage or instruct the employers to fulfill their responsibility; however, several issues persist related to occupational health work, including administrative, technological, and sociocultural aspects. At present, the Chinese Government wants to enhance the reform in both economic and administrative structures, and the adjustments for modifying and/or improving the occupational health regulatory system are expected. Notably, the occupational health work in China must be altered for better.

Whom to Trust When Sick?

A21 -year-old hardworking student from Xidian University in Xi'an, Wei Zexi MJffi, has been at the centre of public discussion since his death in April 2016. When diagnosed with end-stage synovial sarcoma back in 2014, Wei and his family searched for more information on ways to treat the seemingly incurable disease. Baidu, the largest Internet search engine in China, naturally became a useful channel for information. The family's search on Baidu linked them to the Second Hospital of Beijing Armed Police Corps, ranked a Grade A tertiary (sanji jiadeng ^^), the highest ranking in the Chinese hospital classification scheme. Wei and his family were assured by a doctor at the hospital that there was a very high chance of saving Wei's life after rounds of medical treatment called cellular immunotherapy. The doctor's indication of collaboration with Stanford University in the United States further raised the hope of Wei's family. However, the treatment also put the family in massive debt with its extraordinary cost. When Wei's medical condition deteriorated, the doctor in charge revoked his previous claims about the success rate of the treatment and was found to have lied about collaboration with the renowned university. Wei and his family felt deceived by the hospital as well as Baidu. Before his death, Wei posted a long article on the Internet in February 2016, blaming Baidu for doing evil with its information rank bidding service jingjia paiming%and expressing his grievance against the hospital and the doctor in charge without revealing their names.® When he passed away on 12 April, his tragic story stirred up a huge public outcry on media originating with the question-and-answer platform Zhihu £p^. Public concern over the death of Wei Zexi was enormous, with 370 million people having read about the case on the media platform Weibo as of 7 May.® Initially, heavy criticism was directed towards Baidu. State-run media such as People's Daily and China Daily criticised Baidu for a business model lacking in social responsibility and made a general call for improvements in state regulation.® Baidu's commercial competitors also joined this round of attack on Baidu.(4)The Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), however, soon caused the case to die down on 4 May by urging related media to delete posts that take the opportunity to attack the Party, the Government, the medical system, and the system. Some news articles covering the scandal about the military hospital could no longer be read from then on.®Meanwhile, various government departments took action to ease public discontent in early May. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), and State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) launched a joint investigation into Baidu on 2 May, followed by state directives demanding a re-organisation of Baidu's search page and modification of its information rank bidding service.®The NHFPC and Central Military Commission (CMC) also looked into the operation of the Second Hospital of Beijing Armed Police Corps on 3 May. All collaboration between military-operated hospitals and private medical companies was suspended. Several officials in the hospital were disciplined after publication of the investigation report.(7) There have also been calls for termination of paid services provided by the military.(8)Indeed, the Wei Zexi Incident combines a number of problems that have long existed with Baidu and healthcare reform in China. It ignited heated discussion amongst the general public and experts, notably on the circulation of online medical advertisements without proper regulation, the lack of transparency about the outsourcing of medical departments of military1. run hospitals to private medical companies, the quality of which is often in serious doubt, and the limits of the recent round of healthcare reform. …

Open Letter to Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China

Open Letter to Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China

Safety assessment of the fermented Phylloporia ribis (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) mycelia by oral acute toxicity study in mice and 90-day feeding study in rats

Phylloporia ribis is an edible fungus in China. Its fermented mycelia have been approved by the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of PR China for use as a novel food material, but little information on its safety is available. The present research was the first to evaluate acute and subchronic toxicity in experimental animals of fermented Phylloporia ribis mycelia (FPM) following standard procedures. In acute toxicity study, FPM was orally administered to male and female mice twice a day at single dose of 10g/kg bw. The Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of FPM for mice of both sexes was over 10g/kg bw. No death and abnormal behaviors occurred during 14days study except for an increased locomotor activity in three animals. In 90-day feeding study, male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were fed diets containing 10.0%, 5.0%, 2.5%, 1.25% and 0% (control) FPM for 90days. The treatment caused no effects on mortality, gross pathology, histology, hematology, and blood chemistry, no dose-dependent changes in food consumption, but caused effect on body weight gain compared with control group. The No Observed Adverse-Effect Level (NOAEL) of FPM was greater than 8.7g/kg bw/day in both sexes of rats.

China’s Contribution to Codex Standard Setting

China plays an important role in the activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and its subsidiary bodies. The China National Codex Committee was established in 1984. It comprises the Chinese Codex Contact Point (CCP), residing with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); and the Chinese Codex Secretariat, which under the responsibility of the newly created National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) which was established in 2013 from a merger of China’s Ministry and Health and the State Population and Family Planning Commission. The National Codex Committee also includes representation from the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ), the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and various industry associations.