Substandard vaccine scandal rocks China
Improperly stored or expired vaccines worth more than US$88m have been sold in at least 20 Chinese provinces since 2011
China's Supreme People's Procuratorate has announced that it will handle investigations into a scandal involving the sale of improperly stored or expired vaccines worth more than US$88m, sold in at least 20 Chinese provinces since 2011.
The case has upset the Chinese government, which is trying to crack down on fraud and corruption.
Premier Li Keqiang said: 'The vaccine safety incident provoked great concern; there are many regulatory loopholes exposed.'
He said officials would be looking to 'improve the regulatory system, the implementation of vaccine production, distribution, vaccination and other aspects of regulatory responsibility.'
Meanwhile, a regulatory and criminal investigation is being staged into the illicit sale of 12 vaccines, two immune globulin and one therapeutic medicine.
Police have already arrested 37 suspects and the procuratorate has urged prosecutors across the country to 'spare no efforts' in investigating the case. Chinese state news agency Xinhua said they would work with local police and drug regulators to uncover the manufacturers of these products, their distribution, retailers and buyers.
The procuratorate is establishing a special unit for sharing information, case details and case transfers associated with the scandal.
Three pharmaceutical companies are being investigated by police, according to the case unit, although only one manufacturer has been named so far – Shandong Zhaoxin Bio-tech Co. Xinhua said it has had its good supply practice certificate for pharmaceutical products revoked and told to cease production.
The China Food and Drug Administration, health authorities and police ordered drug and health departments to trace the manufacturers and remove these substandard vaccines from sale.