The new "biological recovery liquid," was developed by Qin Sicheng, a senior engineer with Sun Way Biological Technology Company Limited, and has been issued with a state patent.

Under the direction of Chinese traditional medical theories, Qin uses aloe, wild tea and many other herbs, as well as modern biological technology, in making the liquid medicine.

Patients going through drug withdrawal will suffer body aches, making it difficult for them to give up drugs. The new medicine can control addiction within two days and help patients recover within one month to one year according to their drug taking history, Qin said, claiming the medicine causes no dependence or side effects.

Millions of people are dying from drug abuse every year, according to statistics from the World Health Organization, which lists drug abuse as the third killer after blood vessel diseases of the brain and heart and malignant tumors.

China now has about 900,000 registered drug addicts and the number is still climbing, said Han Deqian, former vice-minister of science and technology.

Macedonian Ambassador to China Georgi Efremov, who is also a biologist, has sent congratulations on the success of the medicine, as have envoys to China from Benin, Oman, Nepal, Yemen and Thailand.

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2003)