OBJECTIVES: This study was surveyed the price, availability and affordability of 41 medicines in Shanghai using a standardized methodology developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI). METHODS: Data was collected from a total of 30 public health facilities and 20 retail pharmacies in Shanghai; For each medicine, two types of product were surveyed: innovator brand(IBs) and lowest price generic equivalent(LPGs). Price data is expressed as median price ratios which is the median unit price of the medicine divided by the median international reference price. The affordability of standard treatments was calculated for pre-selected conditions identified in the WHO/HAI manual by comparing the total cost of medicines prescribed at a standard dose, to the daily wage of the lowest paid unskilled worker (25RMBYuan).  RESULTS: Generic medicines are more available in public facilities than in private facilities. In public facilities, the median availability was 13.3% for IBs and 33.3% for LPGs. In private pharmacies, the median availability was 10.0% and 15.0% for IBs and LPGs, respectively. There were some large differences in price between IBs and LPGs in both the public and private sectors. IBs were generally more than 2 times the price of LPGs products in both sectors. Affordability data indicates that for some treatments, a large proportion of the population will not be able to pay for their medicines. For example, one month’s hypertension treatment using IB of Amlodipine costs the lowest paid unskilled worker 8 days’ wages and treatment with the cheapest generic costs more than 4 days wages, when purchased from either the public or private sector. Treatment with lisinopril or nifedipine was also not affordable. CONCLUSIONS: The prescribes, dispensers and consumers awareness needs to be increased in this respect so that low priced generics are more widely accepted and used.