‘All involved in China’s massive vaccine scandal must be caught’: China’s top prosecutor vows in-depth probe
At least 300 dealers in 24 provinces allegedly bought or sold the expired or improperly stored vaccines; over 130 people have been detained so far
China’s top prosecutor Cao Jianming has vowed to launch an in-depth investigation into the case of improperly stored vaccines and track down all criminals and officials involved in the biggest public health scandal to rock the country since 2008.
State broadcaster CCTV showed Cao in a teleconference urging local prosecutors involved in the case to liaise with food and drug administrations as well as public security authorities to launch an investigation and penalise those found guilty according to the law.
The vaccine scandal came to light after a mother and daughter from Jinan, Shandong province, were arrested for allegedly having sold 25 types of vaccines worth 570 million yuan (HK$680 million) on the black market since early 2010. The vaccines were not properly stored.
Among the dozens of vaccines traded were those used to combat chicken pox, rabies, meningitis and hepatitis A. They were made by licensed manufacturers but had either expired or were not adequately refrigerated, according to authorities.
