Official apologizes for high medical costs

China's Vice-Premier Wu Yi apologized to lawmakers yesterday for failing to check soaring medical expenses, state media reported. Wu promised at a panel discussion with lawmakers that the government would supervise small workshops, food stores, stalls and eateries more closely to prevent food poisoning in the future. She also promised to monitor food and drug makers and distributors more closely and address problems in the drug sector and said the country's drug watchdog would improve the administrative system for drug research and production. Health Minister Gao Qiang announced yesterday that China would implement a basic medicine system to to control rising drug prices and improve access to health care.