Chinese Health: Jeopardizing Lives of Innocents

• Date: March 19, 2010
• Source: Admin

Recently in a newspaper article, one of the best investigative reporters in china revealed that counterfeit vaccines have taken lives of four children and making another dozens of people sick.

Over the last few years, China has been weighed down with a series of accusations of producing counterfeit medicines thus raising questions against its government’s will to safeguard patients’ safety in the country.

Health Care Product News in China

In 2001, 500 illegal medicines factories were found in China. Moreover, it was reported that Chinese authorities “closed 1,300 factories while investigating 480,000 cases of counterfeit drugs worth $57 million.” Reports revealed that most of Chinese counterfeit medicines that get exported pass through the ports of Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

In 2003 and 2005, three Chinese children became ill with severe brain damage after being vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis. Although their parents blamed a substandard vaccine, the Chinese government never accepted.

In 2008, liquid and powder milk found to be contaminated in China. Contamination with industrial chemical melamine took lives of 3 babies and left 6,000 sick. 

In 2009, nine people were hospitalized after taking a counterfeit diabetes drug in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region that last month caused the death of two others, said the local government.

In 2010, improper storage of vaccines and faulty vaccines of encephalitis, hepatitis B and rabies in northern poor inland province of Shanxi were responsible for killing four children and making dozens of others sick.

What Happened in Shanxi Province

According to the report, cause of death is selling faulty vaccine and improper storage of the vaccines. The reporter has claimed that these faulty vaccines were sold in China since 2006.  The reporter has pointed his finger at the health authorities in Shanxi province for storing the vaccines improperly and has alleged that local officials who had allowed an unqualified company to make the vaccines. Some officials were also involved with the company, said the report. The problems began when the vaccines were spoiled due to summer heat. 

The Health Ministry said it was checking the report. In a statement on its website (www.moh.gov.cn) late on Wednesday, Health Ministry said "(We have) immediately begun an investigation and demanded the Shanxi health authorities report as soon as possible any new abnormal reactions to the vaccines".

Li Shukai, deputy head of the Shanxi Health Department has also denied the accusations.

However, Wang Keqin, reporter of the story, told "What I wrote was based on evidence," and informed Reuters that he stood by his piece, saying it was the result of months of thorough investigation.

Source: 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/12/content_9951527.htm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4773716.ece

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26769189/

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/world/asia/19china.html?ref=health

http://www.fightingdiseases.org/pdf/IPN_Counterfeits.pdf