China's Ministry of Health (MOH) is launching a campaign against possible abuse in the handling of performance-enhancing drugs among medical institutions nationwide.

The inspection, from June 27 to July 15, was checking whether the Anti-Doping Regulation, issued in 2004, had been strictly followed by medical institutions, ministry sources said.

The MOH is checking whether medical sectors have trained medical staff to properly prescribe and use medicine containing performance-enhancing substances, and whether they purchased drugs labeled for "athletes use with special caution."

It will inspect both public and private hospitals and clinics, sources said, stressing special attention would be given to those located within the Olympic host cities.

The ministry urged public health authorities at the provincial level to carry out the work effectively and keep the administration of prohibited drugs under control.

Those found guilty of or responsible for the mishandling of doping drugs would be severely punished, sources said.

In a recent anti-doping move, senior central government officials were sent to Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and 12 provinces for anti-doping inspections.

They were dispatched by seven ministry-level government agencies, including drug safety, health and public security watchdogs and the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG).

During that inspection, every link, from drug producers and chemical plants to medicine wholesalers and retailers, was checked through spot checks, both announced and covert.

The country's first anti-doping program was launched in the 1980s.

In 1992, the Chinese Anti-Doping Commission was established. Three years later, the Standing Committee of National People's Congress passed the Sport Law of China.

In 2004, the Anti-Doping Regulation of China issued by the State Council, came into force.

(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2008)