The Health Bureau of Macao Thursday said that it has tightened its control over the sales of traditional Chinese medicine in the local market by limiting the sales of certain kinds of this medicine to licensed pharmacy.

According to the Health Bureau, the Chinese medicines sold in the local market was divided into three categories, including medicines with poisonous components, the common ones and those for both edible and pharmaceutical purposes. The sales of the first two kinds are limited only to pharmacies that have acquired the relevant license from the Health Bureau.

The Bureau also said that it will not only approve and review the license but dispatch its inspectors to check the pharmacies medicine purchase, storage and supply activities.

The Bureau's statement came after a study released by the Macao Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health indicated that a number of Chinese medicines commonly used by the locals were of a lower potency than what is required in accepted standards, according to the Macao Post Daily.

The study also showed that some of the herbal medicines contained just 16 percent of the main drug they advertised while many were composed of less than half of the advertised active ingredient.

To address the problem, the Bureau said that it has established a monitoring system, and medical professionals are required to report their findings concerning the safety and quality of the Chinese medicines, so that the authority can take necessary measures.