Milk firm Dumex probes claims staff bribed Chinese hospitals to get newborns hooked
CCTV allegations that staff at a French milk formula manufacturer bribed doctors and nurses in Tianjin to give its products to newborns prompts investigation by company
French baby formula manufacturer Dumex promised on Monday to investigate allegations its staff bribed hospital officials in China to provide its products to newborns.
Dumex made payments to doctors and nurses at a hospital in the northeast city of Tianjin, state-run broadcaster CCTV said, citing a former employee of the company and invoices obtained by the broadcaster.
“Dumex China pays great attention to the CCTV report ... We will launch an investigation into this matter immediately.”
The payments, of up to 10,000 yuan (HK $12,600) each, were made so that staff would provide newborn babies with Dumex milk, CCTV said, claiming they would become dependent on the company’s products.
Dumex, a subsidiary of Paris-based conglomerate Danone, said in a statement it was “extremely shocked” at the allegations and would investigate.
“Dumex China pays great attention to the CCTV report on the promotion of products in hospitals in Tianjin. We will launch an investigation into this matter immediately,” the statement said.
The CCTV allegations come after the authorities in the mainland launched sweeping probes into multinational companies in recent months.