[Photo/VCG] BEIJING - China has adopted a fast-track approach in its drug evaluation and approval system, allowing more new domestic drugs, innovative drugs and imported drugs to hit the market in 2018. Last year, the Center for Drug Evaluation of State Drug Administration proposed to approve 59 imported branded drugs and 11 new domestic drugs, including two traditional Chinese medicines, according to an SDA statement. Nine of the 11 domestic drugs were first approved across the world. Most of the newly approved were anti-cancer, antiviral and orphan drugs (drugs for the treatment of rare diseases). Among the approved ones, 18 were antineoplastic while many were for tumor indications, which will bring about more therapy alternatives for chemotherapy, the SDA said. The speedy approval of some specific medicines has enabled Chinese patients to receive better treatment. For instance, China in May approved Epclusa for the treatment of adults with chronic Hepatitis C virus infections, the latest treatment for the disease. China also created a special channel for clinical drug-trials, which previously took two to three years after application but is only 60 days currently, if no queries or negative feedback are returned to the applicants. The SDA Center for Drug Evaluation has communicated more with drug enterprises in new drug research and development. As of Dec 10, the center had received and handled a total of more than 1,500 communication applications, the statement said. Meanwhile, the SDA has accelerated the process to introduce clinically needed new drugs from overseas, with 10 types accessible at home now and more expected this year, it said. China will continue deepening the reform of drug evaluation and approval, and will make more efforts such as simplifying the requirements for importing overseas drugs and encouraging the research and development of innovative drugs, it added. custom bar braceletcustom sports braceletscustom logo wristbandsde securite pour personne ageeembossed wristbandscolorfilled wristbandsembossed printed wristbandsdual layer wristbands
An aerial view of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. At 55 kilometers, the bridge is the world's longest sea-spanning structure. [Photo/HZMB AUTHORITY] The Macao border zone of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), the world's longest cross-sea bridge, was put into use as the bridge opened to public traffic on Wednesday morning. The 55 km-long bridge links China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Zhuhai City of Guangdong Province and Macao SAR. The Macao border zone covers an area of 71.6 hectares, including a six-floor building for customs clearance, two public car parking lots with more than 6,000 slots for private vehicles and another 2,000 for motorcycles, municipal facilities as well as the road network, tunnels and flyovers. The Macao border zone officially opened at 9:00 a.m. local time (0100 GMT). The passengers went to the departure hall, and passed through the boundary checkpoints via automatic or manned channels. They bought tickets for shuttle buses from Macao to Hong Kong, with cash or by Alipay. At 9:20 a.m. local time (0120 GMT), the first shuttle bus from Macao to Hong Kong left the the Macao border zone. Cross-border services for passengers and vehicles travelling between Macao and Hong Kong are available 24 hours a day. Meanwhile, passengers going to Zhuhai can use the brand-new Joint Inspection and One-time Release channel to pass through the check points. The Macao border zone of HZMB was completed on Dec. 18, 2017.
