The Chinese pharmaceutical company involved in the Greek doping scandal is neither approved nor registered as a drug producer with the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), Yan Jiangying, a spokesperson for the agency, said yesterday.

Greek media reported last week that 11 members of the national weightlifting team failed a dope test after taking dietary supplements made by Shanghai-based Auspure Biotechnology.

An investigation by Chinese government agencies, including the SFDA, the Ministry of Information Industry and the General Administration of Sport, is ongoing, Yan said.

While she confirmed earlier Greek reports that Auspure had sent a letter of apology to team officials, allegations that the company had accidentally included banned toxic and cancer-causing substances in the supplements have not been substantiated, she said.

Bian Zhenjia, director of the administration's drug safety supervision department, said: "The deal by the unapproved company to supply Greece was made over the Internet.

"The two parties had never met before," he said.

The Ministry of Information Industry is monitoring drug-related business done over the Internet, Bian said.

Banned substances such as anabolic agents and peptide hormones are under the closest watch, he said.

Authorities are paying much closer attention to the production and distribution of drugs in a bid to ensure a clean and fair Olympics, Bian said.

Also yesterday, the Ministry of Health issued a directive regulating the prescription of drugs that contain banned substances.

Doctors must ensure they are not providing controlled substances to Olympic athletes, it said.

Bian said the SFDA will crack down on companies that sell drugs for which they are not licensed.

"Some companies sell drugs to distributors that are not approved by the SFDA," he said.

Any companies caught doing so will be heavily punished, he said.

Manufacturers will be closed down immediately if they are caught producing or selling even a single pill," he said.

Special licenses are also required to export such products, Bian said.

And the drug administration will keep a close eye on the sale of banned substances through high street pharmacies, he said.

"In addition, from May 1, inspectors will be based at companies that are authorized to make products that contain controlled substances, to ensure their practices are up to standard," he said.

Of the 100 companies that have such approval, 61 yesterday signed a document that was drawn up by the nongovernmental China Pharmaceutical Industry Association in which they pledged to adhere to accepted manufacturing processes.

(China Daily April 15, 2008)