US/ China Sign Drug Safety Agreement
The Chinese State Food and Drug Administration provided confirmation on the 8th November that a pact of cooperation would be signed with the US in order to improve current levels of drug safety. It added that Beijing was also set to crack down on the illegal advertising of medicinal products.
In recent months, both the quality of and the potential hazards posed by Chinese goods have come under scrutiny on the international stage. The products involved include cough syrup and toothpaste.
China itself has now pledged to suppress the activities of illegal exporters, while also handling safety concerns within the country - concerns brought more to light by fraudulent pharmaceutical advertising.
While specific details were absent, the State Food and Drug Administration's Yan Jiangying advised those present at a news conference that the Chinese/US agreement would be sealed next month.
Campaign Exposed 33,130 Illegal Chinese Drug Adverts
Earlier this year, Ms Yan highlighted how China's drug watchdog was set to kick-start a new campaign, targeting the prevalent advertising of illicit drugs. Between January and September 2007, 33,130 commercials were uncovered that, if not showing a drug's effect to be more than the reality, promoted it through a celebrity tie-up obtained without consent.
The SFDA will now issue a four-times-yearly report highlighting the most extreme offenders within pharmaceutical advertising.
In recent weeks, the agency's own website came under attack when a company set up a replicate portal purporting to be the SFDA in order to advertise a treatment for diabetes.
"It's a problem that the whole world is facing," Yan stated. "Though we've been boosting our efforts, new ones keep popping up like guerrillas."
Additionally, said Yan, a dedicated campaign will be launched to coincide with the Beijing Olympics. This, she explained, would focus on the illegal manufacture and distribution of drugs designed to enhance athletic performance.
Source - Pharmaceutical International's Far East Correspondent
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