Shanghai streamlines medicine import procedures

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 26, 2003

Shanghai streamlines medicine import procedures

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East China's Shanghai Municipality will simplify its medicine import procedures. As a result, imported medicine can be available for sale one day after landing in China, said Wang Longxing, director of the Shanghai Food and Drug Supervision Bureau.

From Jan. 1, 2004, the procedures for medicine import will be simplified, so that foreign medicine products can enter the domestic market as quickly as possible, Wang said.

He said that, at present, imported medicines are not available for sale until they have passed four procedures: declaration, receiving customs entry permit, sample check and passing a test.

However, next year, imported medicine can go directly to the market after receiving a customs permit and passing a sample check,except for medicines imported for the first time and some biological medicines, said Wang.

The imported medicine would be put on the record by local drug supervision sections, in accordance with international norms, and the overall test will be carried out in the market, Wang said.

The simplified procedures have shortened the testing period from 30 working days to one, Wang said, and thus they are helpful for raising the efficiency of related government offices.

Shanghai imports over 10,000 batches of medicine every year, accounting for one third of the medicines on the market in China.

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