 Armour had been aware that original sterilization methods for Factorate were inadequate since at least 1985.The Chinese government reacted to the threat of HIV in the blood supply before any confirmed cases of infection had occurred.In September 1984, the Chinese Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade (now the Ministry of Commerce) and the General Administration of Customs, issued a notice restricting imports on foreign blood products, including a complete ban on blood coagulation factors, specifically to prevent HIV/AIDS from entering the country.