China Launches Campaign Against Illegal Online Drug Sales

A nation-wide campaign against illegal online drug sales was launched by Chinese authorities on 20 August 2013 at a conference in Beijing jointly sponsored by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Public Security and the State Administration for Industry. 

A notice containing instructions concerning the implementation of the five-month crack down was first issued to the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions on 29 July 2013. National and local authorities will reportedly focus on three categories of illegal internet activities:

• the sale of counterfeit drugs
• drug sales without official authorization
• the publication of false information concerning pharmaceutical drugs.