Xinhua recently reported that the police in Shandong Province uncovered a massive case involving the illegal distribution of vaccines that is worth RMB 570 million yuan (around US$88 million). The illegal vaccines have been distributed widely across China. They can simply be ordered through online chats and delivered via express delivery services. Although the vaccines discovered so far were all manufactured by legitimate medical companies, the storage and transportation did not follow the regulations required by law. Using these vaccines could possibly cause permanent disability or death. China has strict regulations on vaccine distribution and the vaccination process. This case demonstrated that the entire chain of vaccine wholesaling, distribution, vaccination, and retailing lacked effective government supervision. Had any of the government agencies across the nation responsible for any one of the steps in the chain done their job right, this “business” would not have lasted for over five years. The report called for a deeper investigation into different government administrative branches to find potential corruption.
Source: Xinhua, March 18, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2016-03/18/c_1118379015.htm