Beijing Health Check 284: Tightening Online Prescription Issuance by Internet Healthcare Platforms?

Research evidence excerpt

Beijing Health Check 284: Tightening Online Prescription Issuance by Internet Healthcare Platforms?

Update

May 14, 2026 02:56 PM GMT

Morgan Stanley Asia Limited+MBeijing Health Check 284 | Asia Pacific Alexis Yan, CFA

Equity Analyst

Tightening Online Prescription Alexis.Yan@morganstanley.comClinton Ng +852 2239-7953

Clinton.Ng@morganstanley.com +852 2848-6659

Issuance by Internet Healthcare

China Healthcare

Asia Pacific

Industry View AttractivePlatforms?

Key Takeaways

Per local news, some pharmacies received notice that hospital paper

prescriptions are required to sell certain Rx drugs (including GLP-1s), from May

15.

The New Drug Management Guidelines, also effective May 15, leave

interpretation of "high risk drugs" prohibited from online sales to the discretion of

the NMPA.

GLP-1 injectables fit into the "anti-diabetic" injectable category, for which the

existing NMPA rules allow online sales with proper prescriptions.

Also, the vast majority of online drug purchases are paid for out of pocket.

Hence, we see limited implications for the public insurance pools.

At this stage, we await more implementation details to assess the impact on

Internet healthcare platforms, if any. JDH and ALH are operating normally for

now.

Some pharmacies in Shanghai recently received notice that they will no longer be

permitted to assist patients in getting online prescriptions for certain drugs

(including GLP-1 injectables), effective May 15. It is unclear whether direct online

prescriptions on Internet healthcare platforms followed by drug purchases will also

be affected. As of May 14, JD Health and Ali Health's online prescription issuance and

sales channels remain open, per our check.

Release of New Drug Management Guidelines: The State Council also issued Doc.