BEIJING — Chinese health authorities asked hospitals to use online suppliers to purchase emergency medicine on Jan 9.

Provincial-level medicine procurement organs should ensure qualified pharmaceutical companies, which produce emergency medicine, have an online presence to ease the purchasing process for public hospitals, said a circular issued by the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC).

In recent years, hospitals have failed to ensure an adequate supply of emergency medicine or stocks have run out completely, much to public dismay.

The situation, according to the NHFPC, is a result of a lack of sufficient supply of raw materials; increased cost for materials and manpower; and limited demand for certain drugs.

The circular said that hospitals could try to designate companies to produce certain medicine through public bidding.