OBJECTIVES: To analyze the current marketed hypoglycemic drugs in China, and explore the effect of new medical reform policies on hypoglycemic drugs. METHODS: collect the registration information of oral hypoglycemic drugs from the official website of CFDA, statistical analyze the variety and the insurance situation of the drugs. RESULTS: There were 9 categories of oral hypoglycemic agents in Chinese market, including 27 chemical drugs (including 99 different dosages) which provided 772 domestic manufacturers and 30 abroad manufacturers, and 26 traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) which provided by 79 domestic manufacturers. Totally 22 hypoglycemic drugs were involved in the national medical insurance list, including 13 chemical ones and 9 TCMs. Among them, only 7 hypoglycemic included in the 2012 national essential medicines list (5 chemical ones and 2 TCMs), including Glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride, metformin, acarbose, Xiaokewan, Shenqijiangtang particles CONCLUSIONS: Oral hypoglycemic chemical agents can basically ensure domestic need of diabetes therapy.  In the field of anti-diabetic therapy, traditional Chinese medicines occupied a certain market. The implementation of national essential medicines system and medical insurance policy meet the basic need of diabetic patients to some extents, but more coverage and reimbursement were need for the increasing population and burden of diabetic patients