Traditional Chinese medicine output crosses $25 bn

The state has approved 9,000 kinds of TCM preparations to be sold in the market and granted about 58,000 approval numbers, the paper issued by the Information office of the State Council said.     

China has set 7,014 national standards for TCM and among them, the 2005 National Pharmacopoeia records 582 kinds of Chinese crude drugs, prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs, fats and extracts as well as 564 kinds of TCM preparations.     

According to the paper, state is enhancing the standardisation of TCM injections to ensure their safety and efficacy and to establish effective quality control methods.     

At the end of last year, 2,469 kinds of TCM varieties were under state protection.     

Since 2004, Good Manufacturing Practise (GMP) certification has been introduced to facilitate the modernisation of prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs, the paper quoted by Xinhua news agency said.     

By the end of 2007, 343 enterprises had passed GMP certification and from January 1, 2008, all enterprises involved in processing prepared slices of Chinese crude drugs must comply with the GMP requirements.     

Regulations on the Protection of Traditional Chinese Medicines were issued in 1992 to encourage research and development of TCM varieties for clinical practise and exercise classified protection of TCM varieties with steady quality and proved curative effects.