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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for an immediate investigation into the sale of 250,000 defective rabies vaccines, which he says has crossed a moral line, while demanding severe punishment for companies and those involved . On Monday, while regulators and officials were trying to contain the fallout of one of the country's most important vaccines, regulators last week ordered Jilin's Changsheng Biotechnology to halt production. a vaccine against rabies. Production and inspection records made during an inspection that was provoked by a tip. Changsheng said in a stock exchange later in the week that authorities were punishing the company for a "substandard" DTC vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus.
On Sunday, the Chinese Food and Drug Administration said it was investigating Chansheng, whose name means "long life", and that all production had been stopped. The company issued a statement expressing its "deepest apology."
There have been no reports of injuries or side effects of vaccines and Chinese officials and media outlets. state have issued statements promising responsibility.
But lack of public confidence continues, parents remember that the government has managed past public health crises In 2008, six children died and 300,000 fell sick after drinking tainted milk powder melamine, a case initially concealed by officials.
"I just want to express the anxiety of a mother … the vaccine is like pouring poison well , "a commentator wrote on Weibo. "I'm really terrified." Another wrote, "People ask me why I do not have kids. It's because I do not want my child to drink tainted milk powder, that he gets himself injected with fake vaccines … I do not want to see what happened to our generation to get to to the next. "
first deleted critical articles Wechat, seemed to allow the deluge of public discussion. The hashtag #Changsheng vaccine case # had been viewed more than 470 million times on Monday.
Online commentators have also posted on the Weibo page of the US Embassy. "Please ask the ambassador to help us appeal for human rights and give a child a lifebuoy. The fake vaccines have been discovered, the poisoned milk powder overflows. children, "said one.
Another said, "Mr. Ambassador, tell Mr. Trump, free China, we do not want our children and grandchildren to be persecuted by their vaccines."
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang condemned the sale of defective vaccines: "We will resolutely repress unlawful and criminal acts that endanger the safety of people, live, decisively punish offenders in accordance with the law, and resolutely and severely criticize the breach of duty in the surveillance ", said Li.
It is unclear how many children have received Changsheng vaccines. Parents are required to follow a vaccination schedule for their children.
Chinese state media reported that 250,000 doses of the DTC vaccine in question had been sold to Shandong Province. The company recalled 186 doses that were still in stock at the regional center of diseases. Changsheng said other regional disease control agencies have suspended the use of some other vaccines from the company.
Changsheng belongs to Chinese billionaire Gao Junfang. Last week, Changsheng shares, listed in Shenzhen, fell by 10%, the maximum amount that they are allowed to fall. The company has lost 40% of its value since last week when the case went public.
The Changsheng case further erodes public confidence in the drugs manufactured in China, which the government is trying to promote. In 2016, police in Shandong Province discovered that $ 90 million worth of vaccine had been improperly stored and sold throughout the country. Last week, a heart drug manufactured by Zhejiang Huaihai Pharmaceutical was recalled after regulators discovered a cancer-related impurity.
"Vaccines are directly related to children's health and are related to life". editorial. "Every negative press article in this area will show the whole society."
Additional reportage by Wang Xueying
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