BEIJING, Dec 18: Chinese authorities have closed down a factory producing fake birth-control pills out of starch and glucose and arrested one person, media reports said.

Tests by the Food and Drug Administration on the southern island of Hainan found not only that the pills were useless in preventing pregnancy but also contained toxic ingredients, the Beijing News said.

''The fake contraceptive medicines and abortion drugs have greatly harmed women's physical and mental health,'' it said, citing an expert.

Police arrested the main suspect in the case and were looking for others, the daily added.

The factory was also making fake Viagra anti-impotence pills, state television added.

Fake or bad drugs have killed dozens of people in China in recent years and raised questions about medical standards.

Last week the government said it would crack down on companies producing fake and poor quality rabies vaccines after reports that several people had died from substandard vaccines.

Officials have also expressed concern about fake or poor quality bird flu vaccines used on domestic poultry.

REUTERS