China’s lawmakers consider ‘strictest’ rules on vaccine industry after scandals
- Draft legislation will impose toughest regulatory system to date, head of drugs agency says
- New law will cover research, development, production, distribution and use of vaccines and follows major public health scare
China’s lawmakers are considering the first draft of a law aimed at tightening control of a vaccine industry beset by scandals over faulty shots, fake data and fraudulent labelling.
The draft – which aims to introduce the “strictest” ever regulation on vaccines and consolidates existing rules on the industry – was submitted to the bimonthly legislative session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Sunday after it was approved by China’s cabinet.
Jiao Hong, director of the National Medical Products Administration, appeared before the country’s lawmakers to elaborate on the draft, vowing to impose the “strictest regulatory system to date” on vaccines – including on their research, development, production, distribution and use.