China's drug watchdog has ordered a scrutiny of the country's drug and medical devices market to unearth unlawful behaviors and curb corruption.

Local government should step up efforts to scrutinize the entire process of research, manufacture, circulation and advertisement of drugs, and oversee the implementation of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), which required companies to obtain a GMP certificate before being able to register new medicines, said a circular issued by the State Food and Drug Administration.

It urges local drug department to carefully verify the authenticity of the applications for medical devices, establish an evaluation system for drug safety, strengthen technologies of safety check and improve laws and regulation on drugs.

Zheng Xiaoyu, former director of China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), was sentenced to death for corruption and dereliction of duty after approving fake medicine, which undermined the efficiency of China's drug monitoring and supervision.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2007)