Original Title: Implementation Opinions of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government on Accelerating the Development of the City’s Rehabilitation Aids Industry

To the People’s Governments of All Districts, and All Commissions, Offices, and Bureaus of the Municipal Government:

To further implement the “Several Opinions of the State Council on Accelerating the Development of the Rehabilitation Aids Industry” (State Council Document [2016] No. 60, hereinafter referred to as the “Several Opinions”), the following Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Rehabilitation Aids Industry in Shanghai are hereby issued:

I. Development Goals

Building upon the new stage of development, the city’s rehabilitation assistive devices industry will fully leverage its industrial agglomeration advantages. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, it aims to accelerate the commercialization of innovative products, optimize and upgrade the industrial structure, establish a preliminary payment system, and continuously enrich product offerings. The industry will play a vital role in safeguarding people’s livelihoods, stabilizing employment, promoting reform, expanding domestic demand, and boosting consumption, thereby contributing to the construction of a new development paradigm;We will make every effort to promote the improvement of quality and efficiency in the rehabilitation assistive devices industry to better meet the multi-level and diverse needs of the city’s elderly, persons with disabilities, and patients.

II. Main Tasks

(1) Enhancing Independent Innovation Capabilities

We will thoroughly implement the innovation-driven development strategy, enhance innovation capabilities in key segments and critical areas of the rehabilitation assistive devices industry, and foster a comprehensive innovation ecosystem rooted in talent, market-oriented, capital-supported, and technology-centered.

1. Incentivize innovative talent. Strengthen incentive mechanisms for innovation and entrepreneurship within the rehabilitation assistive devices industry; implement distribution policies oriented toward increasing the value of knowledge, as well as more proactive policies for cultivating and attracting innovative talent; increase the proportion of revenue sharing from the commercialization of innovation outcomes; focus on key sectors of the city’s advanced manufacturing and modern service industries; strengthen the development of training bases for highly skilled personnel; and promote the establishment of rehabilitation assistive technology consultants, chief technicians, and master craftsman studios to foster a cohort of entrepreneurial leaders and high-level innovation teams.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Municipal Education Commission)

2. Integrate innovation resources. Fully leverage the city’s strengths in the fields of materials, medicine, and information technology. Utilize the city’s public R&D service platforms to integrate the capabilities of medical institutions, social welfare organizations, rehabilitation centers for persons with disabilities, and manufacturers of assistive devices. Through special funds and various government grants, increase support for basic applied research on assistive devices, as well as the R&D and commercialization of high-tech products.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Disabled Persons’ Federation)

3. Promote Innovation Pilots. Support eligible districts in conducting national comprehensive innovation pilots for the rehabilitation assistive devices industry. Promote pilot experiences in key areas such as industrial clustering, service network development, innovation in government-industry-academia-research-application models, and business model integration. Create a number of renowned industrial parks, cutting-edge innovation platforms, well-known enterprise brands, distinctive products, and new service models to provide valuable experience for accelerating the development of the rehabilitation assistive devices industry.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Municipal Disabled Persons’ Federation)

4. Promote the Commercialization of Research Outcomes. Encourage and support technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their start-up and growth phases to strengthen independent innovation and achieve the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements. Recognized high-tech achievement commercialization projects will receive support in accordance with relevant national and municipal regulations. Support industry organizations in conducting industrial innovation selection activities to promote the catalog of innovative rehabilitation assistive devices, scientific and technological achievements, and information on commercialization projects.Establish a municipal database for the commercialization of innovation achievements in the rehabilitation assistive devices industry, and coordinate with relevant enterprises to facilitate the commercialization of these achievements. Achieve the transformation and application of new technologies and materials in rehabilitation assistive devices. Strengthen international exchange and cooperation to accelerate the introduction and absorption of advanced foreign scientific and technological achievements. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Finance Bureau, Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Municipal Commerce Commission, Municipal Drug Administration, Municipal Intellectual Property Office, Municipal Federation of the Disabled)

(2) Promoting Industrial Optimization and Upgrading

Leverage the advantages of industrial clustering to significantly enhance the overall quality of the industry and the added value of products, and drive the rehabilitation assistive devices industry toward the mid-to-high end.

1. Develop industrial clusters. Leveraging the industrial agglomeration and advantages in capital, technology, and talent within the Yangtze River Delta region, we will establish internationally advanced R&D centers and headquarters bases to develop a rehabilitation assistive device industry characterized by strong regional distinctiveness, high value-added, and low resource consumption. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Federation of Disabled Persons)

2. Enhance the Capabilities of Advanced Manufacturing. Promote cross-sectoral integration and development within the industry, with a focus on research in smart manufacturing and robotics, as well as neuroscience and artificial intelligence. Facilitate the comprehensive integration and application of “Internet Plus,” cloud computing, and big data across the entire process and industrial chain—including R&D and design, production and manufacturing, operations and management, and sales and services. Accelerate the application of technologies and equipment such as additive manufacturing, robotics, and smart logistics, and foster R&D, manufacturing, and industrial organization models based on dynamic perception of consumer demand.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Municipal Development and Reform Commission)

3. Vigorously develop production-oriented services. Vigorously advance the integration and optimization of the entire rehabilitation assistive device industry chain, with a focus on developing production-oriented services such as R&D and design, financial leasing, information technology services, inspection, testing, and certification, e-commerce, service outsourcing, and brand building, to promote the efficient flow and rational allocation of industrial factors. Promote the construction of specialized public service platforms targeting industrial clusters and small and medium-sized enterprises, and integrate and optimize the production service system. Focusing on marketing and brand services, develop a modern sales system to enhance the collaborative capabilities of enterprises across the industrial chain.Continue to provide intellectual property services, assist rehabilitation assistive device enterprises in patent portfolio planning, and support corporate intellectual property strategies. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Intellectual Property Office, Shanghai Banking and Insurance Regulatory Bureau, Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Municipal Disabled Persons’ Federation)

4. Enhance the Level of International Cooperation. Support rehabilitation assistive device enterprises in optimizing resource allocation with a global perspective, engaging in overseas mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, and venture capital activities, and strengthening international cooperation in technology, production capacity, and trade.Attract and support multinational corporations in establishing R&D centers in Shanghai; support foreign-funded R&D institutions in participating in the construction of the city’s public R&D service platforms; collaborate with local entities to establish joint laboratories and talent training bases; jointly tackle core technological challenges along the industrial chain; and extend into high-value-added segments such as R&D and design, marketing, and brand cultivation to elevate the level of international cooperation. Support the export of Shanghai’s competitive rehabilitation assistive devices to promote high-quality development and high-level opening-up of the rehabilitation assistive devices industry.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Commission of Commerce, Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Shanghai Securities Regulatory Bureau, Shanghai Customs, Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation)

(3) Expanding Effective Market Supply

Promote the deep integration of innovation in rehabilitation assistive devices with configuration services to achieve high-quality, refined, and convenient development. Building upon the fulfillment of the public’s basic needs, adapt to the upgrading of consumer demand and build the “Shanghai Creation” brand.

1. Cultivate market entities. Based on Shanghai’s regional characteristics, reasonably absorb and introduce advanced foreign scientific and technological achievements, establish a municipal catalog of rehabilitation assistive devices, and foster local high-quality, distinctive, and innovative products. Prioritize support for rehabilitation assistive devices in mid-to-high-end sectors—such as intelligent rehabilitation robots, 3D printing, and new materials—that possess independent intellectual property rights, thereby building the “Shanghai Creation” brand for rehabilitation assistive devices.Support the organization of high-level, high-quality rehabilitation assistive device expos, exhibitions, and trading platforms through a combination of online and offline channels. Continue to host the Shanghai International Elderly Care, Assistive Devices, and Rehabilitation Medical Expo and the China Elderly Welfare Product Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, and continuously enrich the content of the city’s rehabilitation assistive device exhibition halls and experience centers. Support industry organizations in conducting innovation and entrepreneurship competitions for rehabilitation assistive devices.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Commission of Commerce, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation)

2. Expand Product Supply. Prioritize the care and support of the elderly and the injured or ill,support for the daily living, education, and employment of persons with disabilities, and early intervention rehabilitation for children with disabilities as priority development areas. Promote the integration of medical and engineering disciplines, support the integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, and virtual reality into rehabilitation assistive devices, and support the research and development of products such as exoskeleton robots, care and rehabilitation robots, bionic prosthetics, and virtual reality rehabilitation training equipment to create a range of highly intelligent, high-tech, and high-quality rehabilitation assistive devices.Actively expand the range of products that improve the quality of life for the general population. Strengthen innovation in traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation techniques and methods to develop and promote a range of rehabilitation assistive devices that feature independent intellectual property rights, proven efficacy, and distinct characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Municipal Disabled Persons’ Federation)

3. Enhance service capacity. Continue to advance pilot programs for community-based rental services of rehabilitation assistive devices, improve the community rental service platform, optimize the payment system for rental services, and expand the range of rental products, ensuring that more eligible individuals receive cost-effective rehabilitation assistive device services.The pilot program will integrate rehabilitation training for the elderly with the provision of rehabilitation assistive devices. Rehabilitation assistive device showrooms will be established in local elderly care facilities, community-based elderly care service institutions, children’s welfare institutions, and disability welfare institutions. A number of rehabilitation assistive device experience stations will be set up, and institutions with the necessary conditions will establish service stations for the provision of rehabilitation assistive devices. Relying on these institutions, a comprehensive rehabilitation assistive device service network will be gradually established. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, Municipal Commission of Health and Health, Municipal Federation of Disabled Persons)

4. Strengthen Quality Management. Reinforce enterprises’ primary responsibility for quality and safety, conduct quality management demonstration activities, and encourage enterprises to establish quality management systems covering the entire product lifecycle and obtain relevant certifications. Enhance quality and safety training and optimize quality control technologies. Implement a system for the public declaration and supervision of enterprise product and service standards. Encourage the development of voluntary certification in the rehabilitation assistive devices sector. Establish a quality traceability system and improve the service follow-up system.Strengthen supervision of rehabilitation assistive devices, risk early warning, and product recall efforts, and incorporate regulatory information into the city’s public credit information service platform. Advocate for rehabilitation assistive device enterprises to foster brand awareness, benchmark against the highest international and domestic standards and best practices, and establish the “Shanghai Brand” for the rehabilitation assistive device industry. Encourage rehabilitation assistive device enterprises to actively purchase product quality liability insurance.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Drug Administration, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Shanghai Banking and Insurance Regulatory Bureau)

(IV) Fostering a Favorable Market Environment

We will improve the standards system and refine policy frameworks to accelerate the establishment of a market supervision framework characterized by clear delineation of rights and responsibilities, fairness and impartiality, transparency and efficiency, and legal safeguards, ensuring equal protection of the legitimate rights and interests of all market entities.

1. Improve the policy and institutional framework. Research and formulate management systems for rehabilitation assistive devices and their provision services, as well as measures to integrate the management of rehabilitation assistive devices with medical devices. Refine systems for in-process and post-event supervision. Continue to advance commercial system reforms, enhance the convenience of registration and licensing procedures, improve regulatory service mechanisms, and foster a favorable business environment. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Drug Administration, Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation)

2. Leverage the guiding role of standards. Accelerate the formulation and revision of standards for key products, management, and services; improve the rehabilitation assistive device standards system; and fully utilize the regulatory role of standards in the market. Encourage relevant institutions providing rehabilitation assistive device fitting services in Shanghai to actively apply for national-level service standardization pilot programs. Based on the *China Rehabilitation Assistive Device Catalog*, draw upon international and national standards, and, in light of local conditions, research and formulate relevant municipal group standards; promote the adoption of Shanghai’s leading technical standards as national standards; and strengthen the implementation of these standards.Cultivate a group of rehabilitation assistive device inspection, testing, and certification institutions. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Municipal Drug Administration, Municipal Federation of Disabled Persons)

3. Maintain sound market order. Enforce strict protection of intellectual property rights for rehabilitation assistive devices. Establish a rapid response mechanism for investigating and addressing intellectual property infringement, and develop a comprehensive mechanism for resolving intellectual property disputes. Improve the intellectual property credit management system by incorporating information on infringement into the city’s public credit information service platform. Support industry organizations in refining their self-regulatory and disciplinary mechanisms, enabling them to play a full role in areas such as the formulation of group standards, data statistics, information disclosure, and anti-unfair competition.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Intellectual Property Bureau, Municipal Market Regulation Bureau, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Municipal Commerce Commission, Municipal Federation of Persons with Disabilities)

III. Policy Support

(1) Implementation of Tax and Price Preferences

Eligible rehabilitation assistive device enterprises may, in accordance with the law, enjoy policies for additional deductions on R&D expenses and accelerated depreciation of fixed assets. Eligible charitable donation expenditures may be deducted from taxable income in accordance with the law. Rehabilitation assistive device enterprises recognized as high-tech enterprises shall enjoy corporate income tax incentives in accordance with regulations. Implement relevant tax preferential policies for enterprises and units engaged in the production and assembly of specialized supplies for persons with disabilities.Implement policies ensuring that enterprises providing rehabilitation assistive device fitting services are charged the same rates for water, electricity, gas, and heating as industrial enterprises. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Taxation Bureau, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Finance Bureau, Municipal Science and Technology Commission)

(2) Strengthening Financial Services for Enterprises

Cultivate and expand venture capital and capital markets; enhance the flexibility and convenience of credit support; develop intellectual property pledge financing and patent insurance; conduct pilot programs for equity crowdfunding; and attract social capital to collaborate through state-established funds such as the Science and Technology Achievement Transformation Guidance Fund, the Emerging Industries Venture Capital Guidance Fund, and the SME Development Fund. Support innovation in the rehabilitation assistive devices industry that aligns with fund investment directions through market-oriented approaches.Provide technology-focused financial services to help enterprises broaden financing channels, optimize capital structures, and facilitate the transfer and modification of property rights. Encourage financial institutions such as commercial banks, insurance companies, and securities firms to develop financial products suitable for rehabilitation assistive device enterprises, provided that risks are controllable and commercial sustainability is ensured. Explore the inclusion of eligible rehabilitation assistive device manufacturers and service providers within the scope of policy-based financing guarantees for the elderly care sector.(Responsible Departments: Shanghai Headquarters of the People’s Bank of China, Shanghai Banking and Insurance Regulatory Bureau, Shanghai Securities Regulatory Bureau, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Finance Bureau, Municipal Intellectual Property Office)

(3) Strengthen the Guidance of Fiscal Funds

Include the rehabilitation assistive devices industry that meets the criteria within the scope of relevant government support. Support rehabilitation assistive devices projects that comply with industry regulations through measures such as incentive-based guidance, capital injections, and application demonstration subsidies. Establish and improve government procurement mechanisms; explore the inclusion of eligible rehabilitation assistive devices in the *Shanghai Recommended Catalog of Innovative Products* and implement procurement in accordance with the *Implementation Measures for the First Purchase and Ordering of Innovative Products by the Shanghai Government*.Include eligible high-end rehabilitation assistive devices in the scope of applications for the Shanghai Special Program for First-of-a-Kind Breakthroughs and Demonstration Applications of High-End Intelligent Equipment. Based on enterprise needs, recommend applications for the pilot program on insurance compensation for the first-of-a-kind major technical equipment. Provide support for basic research, platforms that benefit people’s livelihoods, and those undertaking public functions to address market gaps and provide support and safeguards for continuously enhancing independent innovation capabilities.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Finance Bureau, Shanghai Banking and Insurance Regulatory Bureau)

(4) Improving Measures to Support Consumption

Research and formulate subsidy policies for the provision of basic rehabilitation assistive devices, ensuring coordination with the city’s care subsidy system for persons with severe disabilities and the elderly care service subsidy system. Based on the payment capacity of medical insurance funds, include eligible therapeutic rehabilitation assistive devices in the scope of basic medical insurance coverage in accordance with established procedures. Improve the work-related injury insurance payment system for rehabilitation assistive devices and reasonably define the scope of coverage. Encourage financial institutions to innovate consumer credit products to support the consumption of rehabilitation assistive devices. Encourage commercial insurance companies to include the provision of rehabilitation assistive devices in the coverage scope of their insurance products.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, People’s Bank of China Shanghai Headquarters, Shanghai Banking and Insurance Regulatory Bureau, Municipal Finance Bureau, Municipal Disabled Persons’ Federation)

(5) Strengthening Talent Development

Cultivate a pool of professionals specializing in rehabilitation assistive devices. Encourage the incorporation of knowledge related to rehabilitation assistive devices into the curricula of clinical medicine and biomedical engineering programs, as well as into continuing education programs for professionals such as physicians, nurses, special education teachers, elderly care workers, and caregivers for orphaned and disabled children. Guide and support eligible vocational schools and universities in the city to further optimize their program offerings and promote the inclusion of rehabilitation assistive device knowledge in their teaching content.Strengthen the development of teams engaged in policy research, product R&D, and technology commercialization for rehabilitation assistive devices, and guide research institutes and enterprises to apply for postdoctoral research stations in relevant fields. Conduct training for rehabilitation assistive technology consultants and support enterprises and educational institutions in collaborating to establish practical talent training bases. Support employers in the civil affairs sector and municipal-level industry associations in conducting vocational skill level certification in accordance with national vocational skill standards or industry-enterprise evaluation specifications.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Education Commission, Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, Municipal Health Commission, Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, Municipal Disabled Persons’ Federation)

IV. Support Measures

(1) Strengthening Organizational Leadership

Leverage the role of the Municipal Interdepartmental Joint Conference on Accelerating the Development of the Rehabilitation Assistive Devices Industry (hereinafter referred to as the “Joint Conference”), with the Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau taking the lead in convening an annual plenary meeting. Each member unit of the Joint Conference shall, in accordance with their respective responsibilities, study major issues in the development of the city’s rehabilitation assistive devices industry, formulate policy measures to promote its development, implement matters decided by the Joint Conference, address issues requiring cross-departmental coordination, and coordinate the advancement of the city’s rehabilitation assistive devices industry.(Responsible Departments: Member units of the Joint Conference)

(2) Improve the Industry Statistical System

Based on the National Economic Industry Classification, improve the statistical monitoring and analysis system for the rehabilitation assistive devices industry. Establish a statistical indicator system primarily comprising information on the volume of major products, manufacturing enterprises, and service providers. Integrate data on the provision, services, and demand for rehabilitation assistive devices, as well as information on expert databases and new technologies and products, to enhance the industry information platform. Continuously publish statistical information on Shanghai’s rehabilitation assistive devices industry.(Responsible Departments: Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, Municipal Federation of Persons with Disabilities, Municipal Bureau of Statistics, Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, Municipal Development and Reform Commission)

(3) Formulate Detailed Supporting Measures

The Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs shall assume overall coordination, working with relevant departments to advance industrial development planning, industry guidance, supervision and management, and innovation pilot programs. It shall coordinate with relevant departments to formulate detailed supporting measures in areas reflecting Shanghai’s unique characteristics—such as the formulation of rehabilitation assistive device standards, provision of configuration services, development of payment systems, and platform construction—to leverage the role of policies in safeguarding and promoting industrial development. (Responsible Departments: Member Units of the Joint Conference)

(4) Strengthen Publicity and Promotion

Comprehensively utilize various publicity channels and media formats to disseminate knowledge related to the rehabilitation assistive devices industry. Promote rehabilitation assistive devices to service recipients and their families through exhibition halls and experience centers. Focus on enhancing the knowledge and skills of personnel at social welfare institutions and disability rehabilitation centers regarding the use of rehabilitation assistive devices, thereby fostering a strong atmosphere conducive to the development of the rehabilitation assistive devices industry. (Responsible Departments: Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation)

These Implementation Guidelines shall take effect on September 5, 2022, and remain valid until September 30, 2027.

Shanghai Municipal People’s Government

August 27, 2022