It will restrict the amount of antibiotics allowed to be prescribed.

The regulation also stipulates that less than 60 percent of inpatients are allowed to take antibiotics, and no more than 20 percent of outpatients are allowed an antibiotic prescription.

"At present, a majority of large hospitals couldn't meet that target," said Lin Shaobin, deputy director of Fuzhou Second Hospital.

He said overprescription of antibiotics was largely related to the longtime clinical habits of doctors and hospitals' dependence on drug sales for income.

He also said surgeons tend to rely heavily on antibiotics to avert postoperative infections.

QUESTIONS

1 What is the Ministry of Health cracking down on?

2 What is the main concern?

3 How much antibiotics are used by people in China?

Answers

1. Widespread prescription drug abuse

2. Rising levels of antibiotic resistance across China

3. An average of 138 grams of antibiotics are used per person on the mainland each year, nearly 10 times the amount in the United States.

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.

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