China has established a nationwide monitoring network in 960 medical institutions to prevent the abuse of medication in the treatment of patients, a health expert said Thursday.

Hu Yin, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Hospital Association, said the network will collect doctors' prescriptions, advice and other clinical information from the medical institutions.

The institutions include top-level civilian and military hospitals.

More than 700 hospitals have reported the relevant information to the hospital association operating the monitoring network.

Ministry of Health published the "Chinese National Formulary" in February 2010 to list 1,336 kinds of medicine and treatment for 199 common diseases.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2010)