The first-ever prescription by a public health physician in Zhongshan was issued on August 19 at the East District Community Healthcare Center. Public health physician Cai Xiong prescribed azilsartan medoxomil potassium tablets for a hypertension patient.

This breakthrough follows China's June 2024 decision by the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration to pilot prescription authority for public health physicians as part of national disease control system reforms.

Zhongshan became a trailblazer in January 2025, selecting 20 public health professionals for clinical training and certification.

Cai, among the first batch of certified physicians, holds prescribing authority for stable hypertension and diabetes patients without complications. "This allows me to adjust medications immediately during follow-ups based on real-time health data," he explained.