Guidelines for the Use of the List of Medicines and the List of Traditional Oriental Medicine Ingredients

Circular 05/2015/BYT provides guidance on the usage of the List of Traditional Medicines, Herbal Medicines, and Medicinal Plants in Traditional Medicine. Specifically:

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First, regarding the List of Medicines:

- Medicines listed can be used at medical examination and treatment facilities following the regulations on prescription and suitable to the professional capacity of the facility;

- Medicines will be reimbursed by the Health Insurance Fund if their composition and administration route are listed in the List, including medicines with interchangeable components and medicines with expandable or reducible components;

Example:

(1) Medicine numbered 3 in column 1 of the List contains the following components: Bupleurum, Peucedanum, Ligusticum, Chih-shih, Notopterygium, Angelica pubescens, Poria/Fuling, Platycodon, Ginseng/Communist Party Ginseng, Licorice. The Health Insurance Fund will reimburse medicines containing:

+ Bupleurum, Peucedanum, Ligusticum, Chih-shih, Notopterygium, Angelica pubescens, Poria, Platycodon, Ginseng, Licorice;

+ Bupleurum, Peucedanum, Ligusticum, Chih-shih, Notopterygium, Angelica pubescens, Poria, Platycodon, Communist Party Ginseng, Licorice;

+ Bupleurum, Peucedanum, Ligusticum, Chih-shih, Notopterygium, Angelica pubescens, Fuling, Platycodon, Ginseng, Licorice;

+ Bupleurum, Peucedanum, Ligusticum, Chih-shih, Notopterygium, Angelica pubescens, Fuling, Platycodon, Communist Party Ginseng, Licorice.

(2) Medicine numbered 45 in column 1 of the List contains the following components: Lysimachia, Alisma, Rhubarb, Rehmannia, Angelica, Ophiopogon, Gentiana, Gardenia, Scutellaria, (Licorice), (Akebia). The Health Insurance Fund will reimburse medicines containing:

+ Lysimachia, Alisma, Rhubarb, Rehmannia, Angelica, Ophiopogon, Gentiana, Gardenia, Scutellaria;

+ Lysimachia, Alisma, Rhubarb, Rehmannia, Angelica, Ophiopogon, Gentiana, Gardenia, Scutellaria, Licorice;

+ Lysimachia, Alisma, Rhubarb, Rehmannia, Angelica, Ophiopogon, Gentiana, Gardenia, Scutellaria, Akebia;

+ Lysimachia, Alisma, Rhubarb, Rehmannia, Angelica, Ophiopogon, Gentiana, Gardenia, Scutellaria, Licorice, Akebia.

(3) Medicine numbered 108 in column 1 of the List contains the following components: Ginseng/Communist Party Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice, (Fresh Ginger), (Dried Date). The Health Insurance Fund will reimburse medicines containing:

+ Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice;

+ Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice, Fresh Ginger;

+ Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice, Dried Date;

+ Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice, Fresh Ginger, Dried Date;

+ Communist Party Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice;

+ Communist Party Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice, Fresh Ginger;

+ Communist Party Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice, Dried Date;

+ Communist Party Ginseng, Astragalus, Angelica, Atractylodes, Cimicifuga, Bupleurum, Chenpi, Licorice, Fresh Ginger, Dried Date.

- Medicines must specify ingredients by name. The Health Insurance Fund will reimburse these medicines when they contain ingredients listed in the medicine catalog, including different extracts and preparations of the ingredients;

- Medicines in one category used to treat another disease group will be reimbursed by the Health Insurance Fund if the medicine indication is registered in the drug registration dossier approved by the Ministry of Health.

Second, regarding the List of Medicinal Plants:

- Medicinal plants listed can be used at medical examination and treatment facilities following the regulations on prescription, appropriate to the professional capacity and authority of traditional medicine doctors, assistant doctors, or physicians working at the facility;

- Medicinal plants marked with a "B" in column 4 of the list are reimbursed by the Health Insurance Fund for plants sourced from both abroad and domestically;

- Lingzhi mushrooms sourced abroad, Ginseng, and Panax notoginseng, when prescribed alone or in formulas containing only two or three of these plants, must be consulted before use. The consultation procedure follows the consultation regulations issued by the Ministry of Health.

More details can be found in Circular 05/2015/BYT effective from May 1, 2015.

Thu Ba

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