Chinese Police Arrest 15 Pharma Executives In Vaccine Investigation

Chinese authorities have arrested 15 corporate executives for fraudulent vaccine manufacturing quality control issues, reports AFP. 

On July 25, 2018, in the northeastern city of Changchun, police authorities arrested pharmaceutical company’s chairwoman Gao Junfang and 14 others on "suspicion of criminal offenses."

News that pharmaceutical manufacturer Changchun Changsheng Biotechnology had fabricated records and was ordered to cease production of rabies vaccines was reported by PrecisionVaccinations.com on July 22nd.

The criminal investigation has shattered consumer trust in regulators.

The China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) said last week the problematic rabies vaccine had not left Changsheng's factory.

However, Changchun Changsheng admitted it had shipped a separate, sub-standard diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus (DTP) vaccine to Shandong province during 2017.

That DTP vaccine was found by regulators to fail quality standards, but 250,000 doses were shipped.

In a sign of the high-level unease, China President Xi Jinping said July 23rd, ‘the vaccine company's actions were vile in nature and shocking", according to state media.