On March 2, 2005, National Drug Safety Supervision Working Conference was held in Beijing to set out the key working areas for drug safety supervision in 2005.

The five areas are specified as follows: (i) Speed up the implementation of drug classification system, formulate Provisions for Prescription and Non-Prescription Drugs Classification, ensuring the fulfillment of the phasal objectives of requiring doctors’ prescriptions to purchase prescription drugs and selling and using drugs under the guidance of pharmacists before January 1, 2006. (ii) Consolidate the achievements of GMP certification, renew Drug Manufacturing Certificate for 2005, improve the enterprise tracking and examining systems, prevent GMP-certified enterprises from no longer putting in efforts in their quality control system, explore the development trend of GMP and achieve international mutual recognition with advanced countries. (iii) Report and monitor adverse drug reactions, strengthen the management and comprehensive usage of adverse drug reaction information, focusing on the building of a quick-response system for adverse drug reaction emergencies, further managing adverse drug reaction information, conducting post-market drug re-evaluation and exploring the building of drug recalling and superceding systems. (iv) Strengthen the supervision of drug research and guarantee the safety and effectiveness of drugs from the very beginning. (v) Improve supervision and regulation measures targeted at controlled drugs, focusing on the implementation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs Regulations and Regulations Against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, building an information network for controlled drug supervision so that controlled drugs can be well under supervision.