CCTV News: On January 9, the National Medical Products Administration disclosed that China approved 48 new drugs to be marketed in 2018, most of which were anti-cancer drugs and antiviral drugs, which greatly enriched the choice of cancer treatment.

Of the 48 new drugs, 38 were imported and 10 were made in China. Indications include multiple myeloma, non-small cell lung cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, liver cancer, rectal cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia and lymphoma.For example, Palonosetron has been approved for the treatment of vomiting caused by chemotherapy, and Labrahim has been approved for the treatment of childhood leukemia and the control of uric acid levels in patients with lymphoma. The marketing of these products will greatly enrich the choice of cancer treatment in China, and to a large extent change the status quo of "chemotherapy as the mainstream" treatment.

As for AIDS drugs, the National Medical Products Administration approved the listing of the indigenous original innovative drug Abovetai and imported cocktail Icao Enpropione Tablets, Entrabine propofol Tenofovir Tablets and Dalunavir Cobistatic Tablets, which greatly improved the availability of AIDS drugs in China.

In addition, on December 29, the National Medical Products Administration issued the Notice on Stopping the Production and Sale of Pyrethiol Injections (No. 99, 2018).

Pyrethiol injection was approved to be marketed in China in the 1980s. Its indications are sequelae of brain injury, encephalitis, etc. It is also used in the treatment of senile dementia mental symptoms.         

The main side effects of pyrithiol injection were vascular damage and coagulation disorder. According to the evaluation organized by the National Medical Products Administration, the risk of pyrithiol injection outweigh the benift. According to the provisions of Article 42 of the Drug Administration Law of the People's Republic of China and Article 40 of the Regulations for the Implementation of the Drug Administration Law of the People's Republic of China, the certificate of drug approval shall be revoked.