A film in China: box office success pushes China to take action against anti-cancer drugs

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for cheaper and more accessible cancer drugs after a new blockbuster film sparked public debate on the issue.

million. Li spoke after Dying To Survive stormed the box office, taking $ 390 million (£ 296m) in his first two weeks.

It tells the fictional story of a trader who imports cheap Indian drugs banned in China for profit.

Cancer is China's number one killer, with nearly three million people dying from the disease each year.

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Striking a Chord

By Michael Bristow, BBC News

Although China has universal health insurance, medical facilities and treatment standards are unequally distributed. Urban areas are generally better served than the countryside, and everyone usually has to pay something to support themselves

This is probably why this movie hit the public

. it needed to improve the accessibility and price of medicines. In May, it removed tariffs on all imported cancer drugs.

But the film seems to have prompted the prime minister to repeat the promise of improving the treatment of the more than four million Chinese diagnosed each year. 19659007] The episode also reveals something else about China: It's a one-party state in which citizens have little opportunity to express their opinions and influence the taking of decision. But even here, leaders can not afford not to listen to what their people say

Why is the film so popular?

He is inspired by the true story of Chinese businessman Lu Yong arrested five years ago. the importation of a generic anti-cancer drug.

Xu Zheng, comedian and popular comedy actor, interprets Mr. Lu, a smuggler who develops compassion for patients who buy his drugs.

The villain of black comedy is the pharmaceutical industry.

"It's real life," said one of Beijing moviegoers, Dr. Zhang, quoted by the Wall Street Journal. "I know that patients with leukemia [and] ended up losing their lives and their money."

The low-budget film hits a "social injury" of not being able to be treated at the hospital, said Gao Wei The China Center for Globalization

"As a film criticizing what is actually happening, it can only become popular because it's right to criticize China, "Reuters said. The attractiveness can be measured by comparing it with the fantastic big budget epic Asura that only made $ 7.5 million when it opened last weekend.

Written on Vista Story magazine's popular WeChat account, film critic Yang Eryu said of Dying To Survive: "This small step could actually be a big step for nationally made films."