CHINA LEX PHARMA LAW NEWSLETTER
Vol. 2 , No.12- April 11, 2001
TOPICS THIS ISSUE:
- New Organ Donation Regulations in Effect
- Tradition of Using Rare Animal Parts for Medicine Now Banned
- Jiang Stresses Mental Care
- China Makes Gene Chip to Test Early Leukemia
New Organ Donation Regulations in Effect
The Shanghai Red Cross offices have been busy answering calls since new organ donation regulations went into effect recently. The organ donation regulations cover the use of human organs for medical research.
The regulations were revised several times as a result of public debate and were finally approved by the Shanghai Municipal Peoples' Congress last December.
Shanghai has encouraged citizens to donate their organs since 1982, but the donation rate has never been sufficient. By the end of last year, about 10,000 citizens had agreed to donate organs and only 1,822 volunteers had actually donated organs after death.
According to the new regulations, appointed friends and colleagues, as well as immediate family members, may be given legal authority over organ donations. Citizens can register to donate their organs at the city's 19 Red Cross offices, six medical colleges and the city's Eye Bank. They can also register by telephone or mail. It is believed that the increased convenience in registering and the issuance of legal authority to prospective donors' relatives will greatly increase the amount of donors in the future.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
Tradition of Using Parts of Rare Animals for Medicine Now Banned
The long practice of using parts of rare animal species as medicine to cure ailments ranging from the common cold to cancer has now been officially banned in China. To help enforce the law and ensure the safety of China's rare animal species, China has established an effective administrative system of wildlife conservation, which integrates a batch of relevant laws and regulations.
A new rule to be introduced in May in Guangdong Province will impose fines from RMB 1,000 (US $120) to RMB 10,000 (US $1,200) to those found guilty of eating the meat of State-protected wild animals.
In addition to the restrictions on people caught eating the forbidden animals, the new regulation also sets clear rules on the protection, hunting, breeding and killing of wildlife.
The rule, part of the Guangdong Regulations on Protecting Wild Animals that was passed by local legislators last week, makes it a legal responsibility to protect endangered animals.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency)
Jiang Stresses Mental Care
Chinese President Jiang Zemin has called on all of society to help create a better environment for people with psychological illnesses.
Jiang, who is currently on a six-nation tour of Latin America, made the remarks in a statement to Gro Harlem Brundtland, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO).
His message was read at a seminar held by the Ministry of Health in Beijing to mark World Health Day 2001 last Saturday.
This year's day was dedicated to mental health under the theme: "stop exclusion, dare to care.''
A nationwide survey shows that in recent years Chinese people are becoming increasingly vulnerable to such illnesses as depression, neurosis, alcoholism, drug dependence and senile dementia, health minister Zhang Wenkang said at the seminar.
Official statistics indicate that roughly 16 million Chinese are currently suffering from mental disorders.
Zhang said that educating the public about mental health must be done gradually to eliminate the stigma suffered by those with mental disorders, and create a humanitarian social environment to care for psychiatric patients.
Meanwhile, the ministry will speed up the process of drafting the country's first mental health law to protect legal rights of patients and doctors.
(Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com)
China Makes Gene Chip to Test Early Leukemia
Chinese medical scientists have developed a gene chip for detecting an abnormal syndrome in blood that may possibly cause leukemia.
Leukemia has an infection rate that ranks in the top ten of fatal diseases in China. The means to diagnose leukemia at present simply include a microscopic examination of a person's blood, bone marrow biopsy and chromosome examination.
Meanwhile, the precision of these examinations is limited and misdiagnosis often occurs.
Zhao Dawei, a medical expert working on the researching and development of the gene chip, explained that the chip is fixed with special probes that can detect abnormalities in the blood.
On the basis of these early achievements, the scientists worked out three comprehensive gene chip technologies to provide an early warning system for Leukemia. Further research and development on five more similar comprehensive gene chips are under way.
The gene chip testing operation is simple. Doctors only need to test a small blood sample drawn from the patients in order for an accurate result to be obtained.
The gene chip that detects leukemia drew much attention from medical experts as well as business people at home and abroad at a high-tech exhibition hosted recently in Beijing.
(Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com)
Lehman Lee & Xu
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The China Lex Pharma Law 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.
