China: Beijing Pharma Industry Development

A development plan for the drug industry in the Chinese capital of Beijing, drawn up by the city authorities, prioritizes the combination of traditional Chinese and western medicines, "independent" development of new drugs based on biotechnology and the strengthening of intellectual property in the sector, reports the China Foreign Trade journal.

The development of Chinese patented drugs should be based on modern technology, with considerable emphasis on research in the pharmaceutical industry, says the plan, entitled Key Industrial Projects to be Developed in beijing in the 1990s. Also, manufacturing should move from large-volume to smaller-volume products which have greater efficacy in disease prevention and cure.

The journal also quotes Chou Guangling, a Ministry of Foreign Trade official, as stating that foreign and overseas Chinese are now to be permitted to establish joint-venture hospitals and clinics in China, on an experimental basis. Medical charges may be fixed in order to reflect good standards of patient care, he added.