More die from Chinese drug

China's government reports that a faulty drug aimed at treating gall bladder and gastric conditions has now killed nine people. The injectable drug, armillarisin A, was administered to patients at a hospital affiliated with Sun Yat-sen University, in Guangzhou (C&EN, May 22, page 11). China's State Food & Drug Administration has issued a notice requiring state and municipal drug regulatory departments to strengthen their supervision of manufacturers. SFDA also said companies should "improve the product quality-assurance system according to the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practices." One pharmaceutical chemical executive tells C&EN that "it is well-known that the Chinese GMP guidelines and site inspections still need a lot of improvement before they can ensure product quality."