The Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH) denied yesterday a recent media report that the ban on stopping drug-taking by craniotomy is expected to be lifted in October. According to news from Xin Jing Bao, with regard to this rumor, Mao Qun'an, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, said that the ministry has never formulated a timetable for lifting the ban.

Mao said that in early November last year, the Ministry of Health called for a halt to the use of craniotomy, because the effectiveness and security of this operation has not been scientifically expounded and proved. The symposium held in Xi'an this March on the clinical technology for stopping drug-taking by craniotomy marks the first step toward a scientific proof of this technology for stopping drug-taking. The expert group called on hospitals in various localities that have used the technology of craniotomy to rearrange the details about previous cases of illness and hand them in to the higher authorities for discussion and proof.

Mao indicated that after the security and effectiveness of the technology of craniotomy is confirmed, the Ministry of Health would formulate an access system. Because the technology is a special medical item, hospitals and doctors who use this technology must have a certain level of intelligence, and there must be specifications on the operational equipment and environment and follow-up observations.

By People's Daily Online