Vitamin C API and Penicillins API are listed as restricted project in 2007 Guiding Catalogue of Industrial Structure Regulation published by National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC); for which Yu Mingde, executive vice chairman of China Pharmaceutical Enterprise Management Association (CPEMA), said, "Restriction is not equal to inhibition. The projects of Vitamin C or Penicillins with new technological innovation also can be approved."
Now experts think that the production capacity has been excessive for some APIs in the whole world. So the expansion of production capacity is not beneficial for China or whole world.
The insiders don't feel surprise for the restriction for Vitamin Cand Penicillins because the pollution coming form the production of synthetical APIs and fermentation APIs is the major pollution in medical industry. In 2005 Guiding Catalogue, Vitamin C and Penicillins had been listed as restricted project, and based on current situation, it is necessary to prolong the restriction.
Yu Guangwen, a senior engineer of China Pharmaceutical Industry Association said that the government gives emphasis to clean production technology. The government wants to push the enterprises to turn to the R&D of new adjuvant materials, key intermediates and environmental protection technology. In the past, the pollution of the production of some intermediates is heavy. So the production technology of intermediates is a key ring in the production of APIs.