SDA to carry out surprise checks on vaccine makers

Latest update:

The State Drug Administration will conduct unannounced inspections on all companies that produce vaccines.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Shandong, the 252,600 doses of substandard diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus, or ADPT, vaccine sold by Changchun Changsheng Bio-tech were distributed to Jinan, Zibo, Yantai, Jining, Tai'an, Weihai, Rizhao and Laiwu in Shandong. 215,184 children were injected the substandard vaccine.

In Hebei, 143,941 children in Shijiazhuang, Langfang and Dingzhou were given substandard ADPT vaccine produced by Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co.,Ltd., said the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Hebei.

Some substandard ADPT vaccines produced by Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co, Ltd were also distributed to Chongqing, but the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Chongqing has not yet provided details.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Shandong, Hebei and Chongqing said they would vaccinate those affected again.

On Monday, shares of vaccine-related companies fell due to the vaccine scandal exposed over the weekend. Shares of Changchun High & New Technology Industries (Group) Inc; Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products Co, Ltd; Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co, Ltd; and Walvax Biotechnology Co, Ltd fell by the daily limit of 10 percent. More than 37 billion yuan was wiped out from 51 shares related to biological vaccines as of 9:40 am. Changsheng Bio-tech Co escaped the beating as it suspended trading on Monday.

Investigation starts on new vaccine scandal

The State Drug Administration has launched an investigation of Changchun Chang­sheng Bio-tech Co, which was found to have fabricated production records for freeze-dried rabies vaccines for human use.

The cases of those suspected of violating laws will be transferred to public security departments, the authority said on Sunday.

Premier Li Keqiang said in an instruction that the vaccine case has crossed a moral line, and the nation deserves a clear explanation, the State Council said on its website on Sunday.

The State Council should immediately send a group to investigate to uncover the truth as soon as possible, and any wrongdoing will be severely punished regardless of who is involved, Li said.

Xu Jinghe, deputy head of the drug administration, said the company was found to have fabricated production and inspection records.

Such activities are in violation of the country’s drug management law and related regulations on drug production, Xu said.