THE top legislature yesterday voted to adopt revision to the drug administration law as part of the country’s efforts to strengthen supervision to ensure drug safety.

Lawmakers approved the revision at the closing meeting of a five-day bimonthly session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.

Aimed at addressing prominent problems in the pharmaceutical industry, such as counterfeit and substandard drugs and high drug prices, the revised law stipulates the strictest standards and toughest measures in supervision over the whole process of the industry chain, including the research and development, manufacturing, sale, use and management of drugs.

The drug administration law was first promulgated in 1984. Monday’s revision is the first overhaul since a 2001 revision.

The newly revised law will go into effect Dec. 1, 2019.

(Xinhua)