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China Tightens Drug Sales

New regulations that went into effect on November 1 made it more difficult for people in China to obtain medications such as tranquilizers or painkillers.

The new regulations strictly cover every procedure from production to the prescription of anaesthetics and addictive medicines for mental diseases.

The original production plants will be placed under strict control. Officials said ordinary people will not have easy access to the medicines, since they are not allowed to appear on the market.

Gao Feng, of the State Food & Drug Administration, said, "People can get the medicines only from medical institutes that have a license for possessing such medicines, and from doctors who are qualified to prescribe them."

Gao Feng said that buying these medicines via the Internet or from drug stores was illegal.

The regulations also defined the group of people who are eligible to apply for such medicines. They include patients suffering from pain caused by cancer or other deadly diseases. Doctors will be able to provide their patients such drugs if they find their requests are reasonable.

Officials have also vowed to hunt down those responsible for drug abuse and will attempt to stop any illegal production or drug transactions.