Supervision of medical device dealers urged

Online shopping platform operators who embrace sellers of medical devices will face scrutiny as the country's regulators step up quality checks on the thriving industry.

Signed by Premier Li Keqiang in February and released by the State Council on March 18, a regulation on the supervision and administration of medical devices has adapted to the evolving market to better protect public interests.

The regulation aims to ensure the safety and effectiveness of medical devices, to protect people's health and safety and to further develop the medical device industry.

According to the regulation that will take effect on June 1, online shopping platform operators should require real-name registration from medical device dealers.

The platforms should review their business licenses and product registration status, and the online dealings must be checked and managed by the platforms, the regulation said.

If e-commerce platforms discover medical device dealers are violating the provisions of the regulation, they should immediately report them to local city-level authorities in charge of drug supervision and administration.

If a serious violation is found, online trading platform services will be stopped immediately, the regulation said.

According to the regulation, the country will also give priority to medical device innovation and encourage clinical applications to sustain high-quality development.

Enterprises are urged to cooperate with universities and scientific research and medical institutions on studies and innovation. Intellectual property rights of medical devices will also be better protected.

Advisory board set up to help curb myopia

A special expert advisory committee has been set up by the National Health Commission to help tackle the looming problem of nearsightedness among the younger generation.

Myopia has affected 53.6 percent of Chinese youth, according to statistics from last year.

China has proposed to effectively curb childhood obesity and myopia in the outline of its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for national economic and social development and its long-range objectives through 2035.

The committee was founded to provide professional advice for strategies and policies related to eye health management and, in particular, the prevention and control of myopia.

Built upon an existing panel consisting of ophthalmologists, the committee will offer support by professionals to cover areas including myopia prevention and treatment, infant health, public health, traditional Chinese medicine and health education.

The first members of the committee, with a three-year tenure, are expected to consult on technology standards and government efforts in drafting relevant laws and regulations.

Decline in traffic deaths nationwide reported

For the first time since 2006, there has been a decline in the number of deaths of electric-bike riders across the country, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

China has seen the death rate in traffic accidents involving electric bikes, motorcycles and cars drop by over 10 percent year-on-year since the launch of a safety campaign last year, the ministry said on March 19.

Last year, the ministry launched a campaign requiring motorcycle and electric-bike riders to wear safety helmets, while motorists and passengers are now compelled to wear seat belts.

Since June 1, riding a motorcycle without a helmet and driving or riding in a car without wearing a seat belt have been punishable offenses.