Fake Chinese malaria drug claims false

BEIJING - An investigative report carried by the People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China, in its Tuesday and Wednesday editions said allegations regarding China exporting fake anti-malaria drugs to Africa are false.

The report stated that accusations made by foreign media may be related to China's increasing share of the African pharmaceutical market, which has long been dominated by foreign companies.

The report said Chinese anti-malaria medicines are exported to Africa through governmental assistance, purchases by international organizations and marketing networks in Africa.

The Chinese government strictly tests the quality of drugs exported for the purpose of economic or medical assistance, checking them at both production sites and ports, the report said.

"The quality of such drugs can be guaranteed," the newspaper quoted Zhu Zhenghong, a Ministry of Commerce official, as saying.

Anti-malaria drugs produced by the Guilin Pharmaceutical Company are in line with a WHO prequalification system established in 2004 to ensure the quality of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis drugs that are purchased and used internationally, the report said.

Other exported drugs are monitored by both China and the countries that import such drugs, the report said.

The report said drugs are registered and certified by the State Food and Drug Administration before production, adding that they are only manufactured on certified production lines.

Drugs are only exported after receiving approval from importing countries, the report said, adding that four Chinese companies have received approval from food and drug authorities in Tanzania.

The local drug quality certification system in Tanzania is very strict, the report said, adding that authorities check manufacturers' qualifications, inspect their production sites and conduct customs examinations.

Tanzanian authorities will trace the distribution of imported drugs, as well as report and investigate possible cases of counterfeit upon discovery, the report said.

Drug quality supervision in Uganda is also very rigid, Kong Dongsheng, marketing manager of the Kunming Pharmaceutical Corporation in Uganda, was quoted as saying.

Drug safety violators are subject to serious punishment or even criminal penalties in Tanzania, Kong said.

 

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