The National Health Commission (NHC) has launched the Action Plan for Promoting Rational Medication Use among Older Adults (2026–2030), establishing a nationwide strategy to improve medication safety and pharmaceutical care for China's rapidly ageing population.
The Action Plan promotes comprehensive medication education, expands pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care, encourages home-based and AI-assisted medication services, and strengthens multidisciplinary management of polypharmacy and chronic disease treatment. It also introduces measures to enhance professional training, standardise pharmaceutical care, and improve access to medicines through primary healthcare institutions.
The initiative reflects China's broader commitment to healthy ageing by reinforcing the role of pharmaceutical care in improving medication safety, treatment outcomes, and continuity of care for older patients.