China punishes hundreds of officials over vaccine scandal
More than 200 suspects arrested as authorities vow tighter restrictions on the private market
Mainland authorities have sacked or demoted 357 officials and arrested 202 suspects in connection with a scandal in Shandong that has prompted fears over the private distribution of vaccines.
The central government has also announced the tightening of regulations regarding private market vaccines, and said it intends to bring all vaccines under centralised procurement procedures like vaccines administered under public programmes.
The administration has come under fire after it was revealed a 47-year-old woman, charged in connection with illegally traded vaccines, had bought and sold vaccines worth a total of 570 million yuan (HK$684 million) since 2010. The case involved 300 dealers in 24 provinces.
The woman was arrested in April last year, but the case was made public only in February.
The vaccines – for use by children and adults – had been produced by licensed manufacturers. But the vaccines, some of which were near their expiry date, had not been properly stored or transported at the required cold temperature, raising fears they might be ineffective.
China’s drug watchdog on trail of black market vaccines
A statement from Wednesday’s State Council meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang said a total of 192 criminal cases had been established regarding the Shandong vaccine scandal and 202 people had been placed under criminal arrest.