The Chinese government has softened its drug price regulation so that pharmaceutical enterprises can set prices for some drugs on their own, Reuters reported. The move occurred in reaction to criticism that capping had caused a drug drought. Beijing has been struggling with rising healthcare costs, violent conflicts between patients and doctors and medicine safety issues, and President Xi Jinping has said providing affordable, accessible healthcare is a government priority. The partial reversal of the price control policy, in an announcement quietly posted on a government website on Tuesday, will give drug companies that were reluctant to supply low-cost medicines greater incentives to do so and likely ease shortages.