CHINA LEX PHARMA NEWSLETTER
Vol. 1, No. 20 - September 13, 2000
Lehman, Lee & Xu
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New Research Addresses Birth Defects
Health researchers recently found out that an ancient Chinese tradition of "winter marriage" closely followed by childbirth has been a source of a certain kind of birth defect.
They realized the defect occurred during the woman's pregnancy in the winter, when there was a shortage of green vegetables and fruit rich in folic acid, now known as being essential to an embryo's healthy development.
In an effort to save as many as 80,000 Chinese babies from being born with fatal birth defects each year, a unique research project into neural tube defects was started in 1990 by the US Center for Diseases Control, the Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH) and BMU.
The experts now believe that controlling neural tube defects with moderate dosages of folic acid is, so far, the best way to prevent those defects.
In 1993, MOH designated the method one of the ten best medical techniques to be introduced in China's vast rural areas.
MOH and the State Family Planning Commission expect to spread the research results throughout the country as soon as possible.
To this end, in 1997, MOH approved the production of a special folic acid supplement called "SCRIANEN". It is being manufactured by the BMU pharmaceutical factory.
Already more than two million new brides and pregnant women in 411 counties in 27 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have taken such birth defect prevention measures since 1998.
To make people more confident in "SCRIANEN," the National Center for Maternal and Infant Health, BMU, and the People's Insurance Company of China will pay compensation to any woman taking folic acid whose baby is born with a defect.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
Social Security Update
China's Ministry of Labor and Social Security recently announced five projects to improve China's social security system in the future.
The five projects are specifically as follows: (i) to establish steady financing channels to face the challenges caused by the aging of the population and the increasing amount of pension payments; (ii) to convert the basic life allowance for the State-owned enterprises layoffs into unemployment insurance; (iii) to standardize the minimum life allowance system for urban residents; (iv) to promote the reform of the medical insurance system; and (v) to establish a sound social security system.
China is drafting the Social Security Law and intends to have a sound legal framework for social security in the next three years.
(Source: Hua Sheng Overseas Chinese Newspaper)
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Anti-dumping Duty Imposed in India on Trimethoprim Imports from China
The anti-bacterial drug sulphamethoxazole could become costlier in India with the imposition of anti-dumping duty on the bulk ingredient trimethoprim (TMP) imported from China.
Based on preliminary findings, India's Commerce Ministry has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty of US $3.26 per kg on all imports of TMP from China.
The anti-dumping duty could particularly hit pharmaceutical companies like Glaxo India, Cadila Healthcare Ltd, Nicholas Piramal India, Ranbaxy Laboratories and Smithkline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, which import TMP used for treatment of urinary infections besides general prescriptions as they may not be able to pass the entire cost on to their customers.
Two domestic producers of TMP, Alpha Drugs Ltd. and Inventa Chemicals Ltd., with the support of another producer, IPCA Labs, had alleged dumping of TMP from China.
China and India are the two largest producers of TMP in the world, and both countries export this essential bulk drug to a number of countries.
China is the main exporter of TMP to India and there has been a tremendous increase in import volumes from China prior to and in the period of investigation, according to the designated authority under the Commerce Ministry, which carried out the investigation.
The India market share of China in total imports was 94.2 per cent, 100 per cent and 97.8 per cent in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 (up to December 1999) respectively.
Export prices from China had been declining significantly from 1997-98 onwards, reaching an all-time low during the period of investigation from April 1999 to December 1999, and the dumping margin was 86.25 per cent of the export price.
(Source: BBC News)
Construction of Bio-Park Starts in Xi'an
The Xi'an University Biopharmaceutical Park, China's only industrial base for the development of biological medicine mainly funded by universities, began construction recently in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
With RMB 600 million (about US $72.3 million) provided by five universities and the Xi'an High-tech Industrial Development Zone, the park is expected to cover an area of 56 hectares.
"The park will promote transforming bio-pharmaceutical research achievements in production," said Yu Mingxin, deputy general manager of the park.
He added that the newly-built park will provide better conditions and services for many companies set up by high-tech personnel of about 50 universities and colleges in Xi'an, which achieve a large number of bio-pharmaceutical research results every year.
The park will consist of five parts, including being a research base for bio-pharmaceutical firms, a development base for biopharmaceutical industries, a training base for bio-pharmaceutical high-tech personnel and an information center for bio-pharmaceutical industries.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
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Chinese Scientists Discover New Immune Molecule
Chinese scientists recently claimed to have discovered a new type of immune molecule, which could be used for fighting cancer and deadly infections.
Cao Xuetao, a professor with the No. 2 Medical Sciences University of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), led the research group, which discovered the molecule, a chemotactic factor consisting of 77 amino acids.
In the US Immunology Journal, the research group named the molecule MIP-gamma 2, whose gene is embodied in kidney tissue and the small intestine. The new discovery by the Chinese scientists is said to be a breakthrough in the research of immunology.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
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The China Lex Pharma Newsletter is intended to be used for news purposes only. It should not be taken as comprehensive legal advice, and Lehman, Lee & Xu will not be held responsible for any such reliance on its contents.
