OBJECTIVE： To improve the level of sampling test management of national essential medicine in China. METHODS： The sampling test system of national essential medicine was analyzed in terms of background， difficulty， experience and effect， so as to make suggestions for the work in the future. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS： In view of the difficulties， such as personnel， equipment， funds and mechanism， sampling test of national essential medicine can be finished successfully by “establishing management principle， information system and focusing on evaluation”. The basic database of national essential medicine quality has establisaed successfully so as to establish the quality database of national essential medicine， strengthen the supervision of national essential medicine， form the resultant force to prevent the risk of quality safety. It is suggested to consider about both “full coverage” and “randomness”， play the role of “information database” and “risk warning” and objectively treat its “versatility” and “scientificity” of sampling test management of national essential medicine in the future.