(CN) China to crack down on fake rabies vaccines

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China to crack down on fake rabies vaccines

Reuters

Dec 14, 2006

 

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will severely punish companies that produce fake and

poor quality rabies vaccines, the country's food and drug watchdog said on

Thursday, after several people reportedly died from substandard vaccines.

 

" Vaccines with quality problems will be sealed where found and seriously dealt

with according to the law, " the State Food and Drug Administration said on its

Web site (www.sfda.gov.cn).

 

" This will prevent unqualified vaccines from entering shops and places of use, "

it added in a statement.

 

The official Xinhua news agency added that sub-standard rabies vaccines had been

responsible for several deaths recently, though it did not elaborate.

 

The food and drug body said local authorities had to report their findings on

fake vaccines to the central government by July next year.

 

" Cases which seriously harm people's health, or are criminal in nature, will be

handed over to the police in a timely manner for investigation, " it said.

 

The statement did not provide details on how many people may have been affected

by fake vaccines.

 

Rabies has killed more people in China than either tuberculosis or AIDS in each

of the preceding seven months, the Health Ministry said on Monday, prompting a

crackdown in the capital and several provinces to control unregistered dogs.

 

In the first nine months of 2006, the health ministry recorded 2,254 rabies

infections in people, up 26.69 percent on the same period last year.

 

Some 2,660 people died of rabies in China in 2004, according to Health Ministry

figures.

 

The Chinese government has also previously expressed concern about fake or poor

quality bird flu vaccines used on domestic poultry.

 

Fake or bad drugs have killed dozens of people in China in recent years and

raised questions about drug safety.

 

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews & storyID=2006-12-1\

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Campaign Launched to Crack Down on Fake Vaccines

Xinhua

December 15, 2006

 

China's State Food and Drug Administration has launched a crackdown campaign

after fake anti-rabies vaccines caused human deaths in the country.

 

An urgent circular issued by the administration and the Ministry of Health last

week ordered local drug watchdogs and health departments to enhance supervision

over the manufacture, sale and use of anti-rabies vaccines for humans.

 

" There have been some media reports on human deaths caused by fake anti-rabies

vaccines recently, which pose severe threat to people's life and social

stability, " the circular said without elaborating.

 

The circular asked local departments to launch a thorough investigation into

vaccine manufacturers and suppliers, destroying the faulty vaccines and

punishing guilty parties.

 

The demand for anti-rabies vaccines has skyrocketed in recent months following a

government campaign which has emphasized the threat of rabies and imposed strict

regulations on dog ownership. With the increased demand has come the development

of fake vaccines.

 

Victims rarely survive once the disease has developed but if they receive an

anti-rabies jab quickly, the likelihood of developing the disease would drop to

10 percent, according to official figures.

 

The crackdown campaign will last until the end of June next year, according to

the circular.

 

http://www.china.org.cn/english/government/192572.htm