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)