New Version of GMP in China Released

The new GMP is crucial to upgrading the country's pharmaceutical sector and will bring the pharmaceutical industry closer to international drug manufacturing standards.

The State drug regulatory body announced the new version of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) with upgraded drug production quality management standards, which are expected to help further integrate the highly fragmented sector.

The new plan is slated to go into effect March 1, and drug producers must receive GMP certification within five years, according to an announcement from the State Food and Drug Administration.

Analysts said that the new standards could help improve drug quality and boost merges and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry.

"Quality control is the focus of the new practice," Yu Mingde, president of the Chines