Vaccine scandal: China detains 37 suspects as senior official admits to problems in drug system
Up to 13 pharmaceutical wholesalers are being investigated as the scandal reinforces long-standing public concerns over safety of China’s food and medicine
A senior official at China’s drug safety regulator has admitted to failings in the nation’s vaccine distribution network after 37 people were detained over a scandal involving improperly stored or transported medicine worth 570 million yuan (HK$680 million).
Wu Zhen, deputy director of the China Food and Drug Administration, told a panel discussion at the annual Boao Forum for Asia, in Hainan province, that the scandal indicated a problematic system of vaccine production and distribution.
“There must be loopholes, otherwise the [vaccine distribution] would not go wrong,” Wu said. “We need to improve it.”
Xinhua said police in Shandong province had detained 37 suspects believed to be implicated in the vaccine scandal, but did not give further details.
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The scandal reinforces longstanding concerns over the safety of mainland food and medicine.
The administration has come under fire after it was revealed a 47-year-old woman, charged in connection with the illegally traded vaccines, had bought and sold vaccines worth a total of 570 million yuan with the involvement of 300 dealers in 24 provinces since 2010. The woman was arrested in April last year, but the case was made public only in February.
The vaccine – for use by children and adults – had been produced by licensed manufacturers. But the medication, some of which had been near to its expiry date, was not properly stored or transported at the required cold temperature, raising fears that it could lose its effectiveness when administered.
Wu’s remarks came the day after Premier Li Keqiang issued orders on Tuesday promising there would be “no tolerance” of government officials found guilty of negligence and criminals involved in the case.
“This vaccine safety incident has created deep concern among the public and laid bare numerous regulatory loopholes,” Li was quoted as saying by Xinhua. “We should spare no time in improving the regulatory system, fulfilling the supervision and regulation responsibility in the links of vaccine production, distribution and administration.”
In Hong Kong, a private doctor in Sha Tin said on Wednesday he had seen a rise of about 20 per cent in the number of mainland children getting vaccinations at his clinic.
Paediatrician Wilson Fung Yee-leung said he expected the trend to increase in coming months.
“After [the mainlanders] have absorbed the news, it is likely that more people will bring their children to the clinic for vaccines during their visits,” he said.
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Hong Kong lawmaker Gary Fan Kwok-wai submitted a letter to the health minister yesterday urging that measures be taken to ensure sufficient vaccine supplies were available for local children.
The CFDA said 13 mainland pharmaceutical wholesalers had been found to be involved in the scandal. One of them, Hebei Weifang Biological Products Supply Centre, is a state-run firm linked to the Hebei Disease Control and Prevention Centre.
The administration said local branches needed to investigate those companies involved and find out where the vaccines had gone. The findings of the investigation would be reported by Saturday and then released to the public, it said.
Wu promised a thorough investigation and said the Ministry of Public Security would not spare any implicated individual, company or institution.
The China office of the World Health Organisation said vaccines had to be stored and managed properly or they could become less effective. “It is important to note improperly stored or expired vaccines seldom if ever cause a toxic reaction,” it said. “Therefore there is likely to be minimal safety risk in this [case].”
Additional reporting by Emily Tsang
