Chinese government starts probe into maker of hepatitis B vaccine amid infant deaths
Beijing has sent health experts to investigate drug maker Biokangtai in Shenzhen on Tuesday, to find out if several recent deaths of babies were related to the company's vaccine.
A team of government investigators was sent to the drug manufacturer, based in the southern city of Shenzhen, state broadcaster CCTV said, amid growing public concern about the safety of the vaccine.
[The company] may be trying to protect their self-interest. Or they may have a lot of confidence in their product
The probe was launched after provincial and health authorities separately reported that, since November, about a half-dozen babies died shortly after receiving hepatitis B vaccine made by Biokangtai.
The vaccine was given to children free of charge as part of the government's national immunisation programme.
One case has been ruled out while the others are still being investigated. Repeated calls to Biokangtai's Shenzhen headquarters were disconnected after a few rings.
In a statement earlier this month, the company said it was confident of the safety of its products and that the deaths could be caused by underlying diseases that coincidentally began showing symptoms after the vaccinations.
"Coincidental diseases arise the most easily and are the easiest to misinterpret," the statement on Biokangtai's website said.