With mounting criticism being made of illegal price rises in the costs of medicines and medical treatment, China has embarked on a nationwide audit designed to deal with the problem. The general public has expressed growing concerns about spiraling costs and restricted access to drugs and healthcare.

An official from China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Monday the price of medicines would be the focus of the inspection. The initiative, launched at the weekend, is directed at a wide range of sectors including pharmacies, hospitals, blood stations and other medical institutions, according to an official.?

It's been claimed that medicine manufacturers increase prices after altering product names and packaging and hospitals and clinics raise the costs of their services by simply ignoring standards set by the government.

Illegal activities such as these, which are highly detrimental to patients, will be the main focus of the inspection, said the official.

To assist patients gain access to affordable treatment, 17 price reductions have been approved by the Chinese government for widely used medicines. However, despite these moves the costs remain too high for some citizens.

In a circular released by the NDRC all medical institutions were urged to set up a timely price reporting system, to inform patients of costs before any treatment commenced and to make their pricing structure transparent.

The NDRC has pledged to cooperate with the disciplinary watchdog to bring any cases of commercial bribery discovered during the inspection to the attention of judicial authorities.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2006)