Press conference: Medical Security of Beijing Olympic Games

Beijing Youth Daily

First I would like to ask question to Madam Deng. You mentioned in your presentation that during the Olympics, there will be a group of blood donors. Could you elaborate on this group of people? How can you make sure that the blood they donate will be of high quality? Would they live in designated area in groups? My second question is for Mr. Wu. A few days ago, Mr. Rogge predicted that during the Beijing Olympics, there might be a 30-40 incidents involving doping problems. Could you comment on his remarks?

Deng Xiaohong

I would like to answer your first question. In regards to the blood, in 1998, China designated the blood donating law. According to the law, all the blood donations would be done on the voluntary bases and free of charge. Since then, Beijing has made a lot of progress in terms of voluntary blood donation. Now, all the blood used in the clinical environment came from the donated blood. For the donors, they are in Beijing, there are 27 mobile blood facilities. 80% to 90% of the blood we use at the hospitals are the blood donated on the facilities. For example, in summertime and wintertime, like in most countries in the world, due to the weather condition, few people will donate blood.

But we have stable group of people as blood donors. Those people do this on a voluntary basis. Some of the institution and business organizations also help in this cause. Like the university students in Beijing and the military personnel in Beijing. Apart from that, in terms of Olympic blood supply, we have reached the agreement with the Ministry of Health. And we established the relations in terms of the blood supply in Beijing. Once emergency arises, we are going to initiates that inter-provincial system of blood supply. Recently we all know that on May 12, there was a major earthquake in Sichuan in China. For the Beijing Municipal government, one day after the quake, we organized 6000 bags of blood and send them to the quake-hit areas. Before that, we send some notices to the mass media. In Beijing, on a single day, the citizens donated more than 6000 bags of blood. And there are a lot of more people who didn't have the chance to donate. They have registered as the volunteers for the blood. In Beijing, now we have nearly 100,000 voluntary blood donors.

I have to mention about the RH blood. This is a rare blood among the Chinese population. Only very few people have this kind of blood. But a lot of Caucasian are of such blood type. In order to guarantee the blood supply for those people, in the past few years, we have paid some attention to find such blood. We have done some education now. We have more than 1000 people who are of this blood type. In the event of emergency, we can ask them to donate blood. You may have noticed that in the media, a few days ago, Beijing Union Medical College received an American patient transferred from Tianjin due to an accident. This American patient is of RH negative blood type. Only 3 out of 1 billion in China have that kind of blood type. In Beijing , we have found that 2 people from Britain, 2 from America and 1 Danish donated blood for the injured American and as a result he was saved. This shows that Beijing has the capability of blood supply in emergency.

We will also mention the quality of blood. Since some of the communicative diseases such as and HIV and HBV are yet to be resolved globally, it will take some time for the generations of anti-bodies within the carriers so we have the so called "window period" and if blood donors donate the blood during the window period, that might be a blood transmitted communication. Therefore, in all the blood collection departments and hospital, we have deployed donor testing aiming to prevent blood transmission of certain viruses. And the detection capabilities have been enhanced a great deal. And Such likelihood has been reduced by a large margin so that the blood quality is better ensured.

Wu Moutian

The journalist asked another question about the prediction by Mr. Jacques Rogge, and I read a story from the internet there are various perditions on the internet. Talking about the possible cases being found positive, I don't know on what basis these predictions were made. I never made those predictions and neither am I in the position to make a comment on that. It is my view that with the help of the international expertise and with the guidance of IOC, we will do rigorous job with testing and every case tested positive will be announced.

Reuters

I am from Reuters; I have a question for Mr. Sun. The TV of Republic of Korea broadcasted a trial run for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. I would like to confirm, did BOCOG invite any media to watch the trial run which I believe happened yesterday. What is BOCOG's reaction to the SBS broadcasting the images?

Sun Weide

We've taken notes of the broadcast you have made reference to. We are disappointed and frustrated with the broadcast by SBS, and the images can not represent the entire Opening Ceremony. Therefore I would like to say, let's wait until August 8 to enjoy the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.

Guangming Daily

I am from Guangming Daily. My question is for Mr. Wu.

For every Olympic Games, with more and more positive cases announced during the doping test, it shows the Olympics has become less clean. How would you respond to such comments? For pre-competition doping test, how is it going on? What are the major items of testing such as in the case of swimming and tracks?

Wu Moutian

Let me response to your first question. The second question is not taken care of us by our laboratory. Let me refer to Mr. Chen for that question, because doping test is not my job.

The first question you asked is about the more positive cases found, and the Games is becoming less clean. I think it is an absolute comment in approaching the issue. Let me cite a very simple example, in the past, there were some of the cases failed to be detected. But nowadays, we are detecting more of them and making the Games cleaner. So please rethink through the logic. During the Athens Games, if there are more cases positive found than in Sydney, could they say the Athens Games is less clean than the Sydney Games? It is not a right approach. My answer is just for your reference.

Chen Zhiyu

As for the first question, I agree with what Mr. Wu has said. Clean Olympics is the overall objective for the doping control by us. When we talked about clean Games, our point is that through effective work and operation, those doping cases will be detected and penalized, so the fair play will be ensured for the entire Games. In this way, it will be fair for the other athletes. Therefore, we shouldn't base our conclusion on the number of cases found positive. And also, for the clean Olympics, it has something to do with our understanding of it. You have mentioned that there were over 400 cases found so far as pre-competition test is concerned. It is not true at all. We never announced the total number of pre-competition tests. The number is far greater than 400. The pre-competition testing is co-hosted by a working party formed by IOC, BOCOG and WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). We started our work on July 27 and we have been performing anti-doping tests ever since then. With more and more delegations arrive, we will be much busier.

Foreign reporter

My question is for Mr. Chen. Technology was said to be faster than the test scan in science doping, how confident are you that you can test for EPO in 2008 when the athletes appear to be ahead of the controllers?

Wu Moutian

Let me take this question for EPO, especially the EPO testing for urinating. There are rigorous paper documents governed this process and we will strictly abide by the paper documents. There are a lot of discussions about this issue. But so far, I have not seen any report about falsifying of the EPO test results. So I am confident in the method of testing for EPO.

China Radio International

I am China Radio International. We talked about medical services for the athletes. But during the Games, for the spectators, what are the medical services available for them?

Dai Jianping

As you are aware, during the Games, there will be a great number of viewers and spectators. So in setting up the medical services for the Games, we've taken into account the services stations not only for the athletes but also for the viewers. There are service points and outlets for the viewers as well. Therefore, during the Games, if there are any viewer waves to us or any eruption of acute diseases, volunteers and paramedics will help them be evacuated to the viewer medical stations. For every viewer medical stations, there are ambulances and 52 hospitals around the venues, and they can provide medical services for the viewers who are ill. Our Olympics is 'People's Olympics'. Therefore, for viewers with valid tickets on the very day, the in-station services and the transportation services are free of charge.

Beijing Radio Station

I am Beijing Radio Station. My question is for Ms. Deng. During the Games, the Chinese medicine practitioners will be present. How many of them can we find in the Olympic Village and what diseases are they targeting?

Deng Xiaohong

Let me refer the question to Mr. Dai.

Dai Jianping

For the Olympic Games, first, it must be held according to the international norms and according to our commitments. We've talked about traditional Chinese medicine services inside the Olympic Village. Those services will be concentrated on some of the physical services. For the selection of the designated hospitals in order to highlight some of the characteristics of the traditional Chinese medicine, we've identified two of them. One is Kuanjie Chinese Medicine Hospital, and the other is Guan'anmen Chinese Medicine Hospital. Inside the Olympic Village, the medical services are provided not only to take care of the patients but also to take care of the embedded medics of the delegation of the teams. Those medics have diverse background. If anyone of them would like to request Chinese medicine therapy or care for the athletes, we have made two hospitals available. If they want massage and acupuncture, Chinese medical practitioners can provide these services. Most of the Chinese medicine is concentrated on the physiotherapy treatment.

Xinhuanet.com

We are threatened by some of the invasive diseases which used to be very rare in China, how can we prevent these diseases from coming to China? Secondly, are we going to provide the physical check for the incoming foreign athletes, if so, what are the percentage of those check?

Deng Ying

This question is about the prevention of diseases and we have done a great deal. For the imported diseases such as the EBOLA virus and the some of the cerebral diseases, we will carry out NAT (nucleic acid testing) for them. Also on a daily basis, we are liaising with the Beijing Exit-Entry Inspection & Quarantine Bureau. For the incomers, whoever is having a fever will have a screening test, the Beijing Center for Disease Control and China Center for Disease Control are cooperating with each other including lab tests and other regards.

Reporter from Brazil

I have two questions for Mr. Sun. The first is: the International Olympic Committee refer to the pact, which is not referred to the press, by the way, however, we found this in the internet and we are in the position where the Chinese government has not allowed us to access the internet sites. I want to know if the Chinese government can assure the pact of free access. Also, there have been a certain number or a list of sites which we can not get into; can we be assured that we will be given free access?

Sun Weide

Today's theme is about the medical service and if you have any other questions not related to this theme, I would like to talk to you after the meeting. Let's focus on today's theme, which is the medical service. After this comes to an end, I would like to talk to you.

Xinhua News Agency

My question is for Mr. Chen and Mr. Deng. About the anti-doping test control, how many categories of doping we can identify and can you elaborate on the specific technologies? We have 34 controlling centers. How many staffs are there in the centers and where are they located?

Chen Zhiyu

I will answer your second question. The first will be answered by Mr. Wu. There are 3 elements in the anti-doping control. Firstly, collect the urines and blood sample and then send to the laboratory for testing. The third is management of the results. In all the competition venues, we still have the anti-doping control stations. We have 34 centers, 33 of which are located in the competition venues. One of them is in the Olympic Village. We also have 7 other centers in the co-host cities. They are responsible for the anti-doping control work. The big one is located in the Olympic Village as Mr. Dai said. On the 3rd floor of the polyclinic, there is the biggest doping control center to test more samples and provide more services. The total staffs is 917, and 10 of them are specialists from overseas, 6 are foreign volunteers, and a total of 917 staffs are responsible for doping control work.

Wu Moutian

I would answer you first question. Based on the prohibited list published by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), we are going to use the list of 2008 by which about 200 prohibited substances and methodologies are listed. Our laboratories can identify all of them. Just like all the WADA certified laboratory elsewhere, we will not only test the original samples but some of its other substances. About these 41 stations, most of them are in the competition venues.

Dai Jianping

As for the samples, all of them will be send to one laboratory, as Dr. Wu said, his laboratory. These laboratories are certified by WADA and IOC. Everything has been fair and transparent starting from July 27. Under the leadership of the IOC, the laboratory has been operating smoothly. We are going to collect 4500 samples and test all the items including all the blood testing. So you can tell by the items we are going to test that we are doing our best to have a clean Olympic Games and I'm sure it will be clean Games. Some people will take its chance but we would like to stop them.

Channel 7, Australia

I am from Channel 7 from Australia. I have two questions. First one is for Mr. Wu. This one is in regards to the doping test for HGH (human growth hormone). We know it is a test that is still being developed. But we also know that it has to be within 24 to 48 hours of the athletes taking that drug. Do you think it is highly improbably that you are going to catch any athletes on HGH?

Wu Moutian

For the testing of HGH, actually, many people have been studying this issue. They have provided many good advices. What we are doing is we make reference to the isomers approach recommended by the IOC. Whether we can catch them, it has to be done within 24 to 48 hours.

I am not so sure if it takes longer than 48 hours. But any methodology has got a deadline. Thank you.

Channel 7, Australia

Would there be any punishment or penalty for KBS from BOCOG or the security personnel that might not allow the film crew into that highly security venues? Thank you.

Sun Weide

We are confirming all these info. As for the question raised by another journalist earlier on, pertaining to the access to the internet. Perhaps, you were not here yesterday. Let me tell you once again our policy. During the Olympics, we will provide full access to facilitate your media reporting so that you can have full access through the internet to do your reporting.

The reason why you can't go to some of the websites is that they are doing something illegal. They are transmitting information that are illegal based on the Chinese laws. For example, they are propagating the evil and fake religion called Falun Gong, that is detrimental to the interests of China. I hope the press will respect Chinese laws and regulations. If you have no more questions, let's call it a day.

Thank you once again for your attending. We are going to meet here again at 11 a.m. for the organization work of the competition. Thank you very much.