NHFPC's press conference on May 9,2014

(en.nhfpc.gov.cn)

Updated: 2014-07-15

Meanwhile, the Advertisement Law that is being revised by related departments could be a large facilitator to help control smoking and improve health in China. We give our due support to the work and welcome a warning tag on cigarette packages.

IV. How do we prevent and control hand-foot-mouth disease as more people have been infected in China?

Hand-foot-mouth disease hit its peak in April, killing 70 people and affecting more than 426,000 others, a notable increase from a year earlier. Experts say it was mainly because of the wide existence of the pathogen; a huge number of children under 5 years old who are more vulnerable to the disease; and a high ratio of unapparent infection that is hard to detect and thus difficult to cut off.

We are very concerned about the epidemic and will try our best to control the situation and prevent more infections. A statement was recently issued, urging local governments of all levels to step up prevention and control of the disease with the help and supervision of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

But here we have a clear message that hand-food-mouth disease can actually be prevented and cured. Prevention is always better than cure, though. Efforts must be made to maintain cleanliness wherever you live, always washing and sterilizing dishes, toys and other domestic articles for children. Efforts should also be made to wash hands carefully and avoid crowds or other public places with limited air circulation. People should get enough rest and avoid unboiled water. Parents should check their children everyday to see if there are any unusual herpes on their hands, feet or mouth. Body temperature is also an important indicator. Do not hesitate to go to hospital – but avoid crowded ones – if your children have a fever or infection.

V. How can we make medicine more available and affordable? A major target of the ongoing medical reforms in China is to ensure an adequate clinical medication supply for a wider populace. The country is set to lift restrictions on maximum prices of more than 500 kinds of medicine, previously priced low by the government to relieve patients' medical burden. Drugmakers will be able to set prices according to their production costs and market demand. However, drugs that are essential to clinical treatment, albeit in small doses, will be produced by designated companies and sold at unified prices nationwide.

The move is aimed to revive dampened production caused by weak profits and ensure supply of essential drugs. Detailed regulations will come out soon.

VI. How can China smooth the process of organ donations after brain death?

A notice issued in April 2011 announced three diagnostic criteria of organ donations in China – brain death by international standards, cardiac death, and both. Take brain death for example, organs can only be removed for donation in China when a patient is declared brain dead after strict medical examinations based on current domestic and international criteria; the patient’s family accept the result, choose to discontinue medical treatment for the patient and agree on organ donations; and the hospital approves the donation.

How to define brain death remains controversial. But one thing is for sure: a patient must not be declared dead merely for the sake of organ donation.