China's food and drug authorities will strengthen their check-ups and supervision over the quality of medicines sold in the countryside this year, said an official at a national food and drug supervision and management meeting Thursday in Beijing.

Shao Mingli, director of the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), said that the supervision will target medicines that have provoked complaints, are promoted by illegal advertising, or are low-quality.

Especial scrutiny will be made into medicines widely used in clinics or sold in large volumes and those to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Surveys for supervision purposes will examine pharmaceutical manufacturers, medicine businesses and users that had problems in last year's sample surveys and also some Chinese medicines and imported medicines.

Source: Xinhua