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This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. Here is the news.

China has invested around three trillion yuan, or about 500 billion U.S. dollars, into its medical care reform in the past five years.

The investment was made jointly by the central government and local authorities.

After years of effort, China's public hospital reform has been carried out in more than 1,000 counties across the country. A national framework has been formed for the establishment of a basic medical insurance system.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission notes that a key factor to further China's healthcare reform is to increase salaries for medical staff and cut the link between doctors' income and medicine sales.

Salaries are generally low for staff in public hospitals, which dominate the nation's health service market. Thus, many doctors have colluded with pharmaceutical companies and earned "gray income" by over-prescribing drugs or prescribing unnecessary drugs.

Actions have been taken by the commission to solve the problem.

This is NEWS Plus Special English.

China's research vessel and icebreaker Xuelong, the Snow Dragon, has docked in Shanghai, wrapping up another scientific expedition to Antarctica.

During its 5-month voyage, the 260 crew members on board fulfilled 30 scientific assignments and a dozen other supply missions.

The team set up the Taishan Station as China's fourth Antarctic supply and research base, at an altitude of 2,600 meters.

While conducting its scientific investigation, Xuelong reached 75 degrees south latitude, the furthest south that a Chinese vessel has ever been.

Scientists investigated issues including ice sheet movements, the effects of climate change on geology, and the detection of ice with radar.

They collected around 600 Antarctic meteorites, bringing the country's total number of the objects to 12,000.

While on its way back to China, Xuelong spent 10 days searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean.

It also escaped through heavy sea ice after evacuating 52 people from the trapped Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy.

China launched its first expedition to Antarctica in 1984. The country now has 4 such supply stations in Antarctica.

You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing.

Most Chinese families do not regularly sort out their medical kits, with out-of-date pills in many homes. That's according to the People's Daily, China's leading newspaper.

Each family on average has 200 expired pills, and at least 30 percent of these tablets have been out-of-date for over three years.

The newspaper quoted a survey released by Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical Holdings Company.

Out-of-date drugs may have lost medical effect and even harm people's health. They also pose a threat to the environment if thrown away randomly.

Severe consequences may occur if expired pills get into the hands of illegal drug traffickers and re-enter the market.

Expired drugs are listed as "dangerous waste" and a serious source of environmental pollution in China.

According to the survey, 15,000 tons of drugs become waste each year after expiration.

China has laws on the production, sale and use of drugs, but a system for regular recycling of out-of-date medication has yet to be established. Public awareness regarding the issue is poor.

Experts suggested health authorities learn from developed countries and work out rules on the handling of expired drugs.

This is NEWS Plus Special English.

Cancer has been on the rise in China and it may become a major public health challenge if without timely intervention.

According to a Cancer Registry Annual Report, 3 million people developed cancer and almost 2 million died in 2010 in China.

The estimates were based on data from 150 cancer surveillance sites in 24 provinces covering 160 million people.

The effects of cancer intervention are usually seen in 15 to 20 years.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission says it is urgent for the government to introduce more forceful and comprehensive measures to rein in the rising trend.

In February, the World Health Organization issued a World Cancer Report. It says developing countries in Asia, Africa, and South and Central America are among the hardest hit by cancer.

China had 22 percent of the new cancer cases worldwide in 2012, and 27 percent of cancer deaths, which was around 8 million.

In 2010, the incidence rate of cancer stood at 240 out of 100,000 among Chinese, with males and urbanites hit harder than females and rural residents.

According to the WHO report, Denmark, France, Australia, Belgium and Norway recorded the highest cancer incidence in the world.