Regulator halts production at drug firm

The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) said it stopped production of a herbal injection that is believed to have caused the deaths of three people, AP reported. The company, Heilongjiang-based Wandashan Pharmaceutical, voluntarily recalled all of its injectable products, including ciwujia, which the SFDA said had been contaminated by rain water and bacteria. The action comes as China’s food and drug watchdog seeks to reassure domestic consumers following scandals involving the discovery of excessive levels of melamine in milk and other food products. "The company’s action seriously violated the drug management law and it should be punished for producing the drug," said SFDA spokeswoman Yan Jiangying.