A new draft law that aims to intensify vaccine management in China is under review. The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee continues to debate the proposed measures.
Never has China acted with more urgency in improving the safety of vaccines. The scandal this year involving major vaccine producer, Changchun Changsheng Biotech in Jilin Province, outraged the nation. Lawmakers are on the case, drafting a new law.
Lawmaker Chen Zhu hails the importance of the law. He said the law aims to reform and improve the country's vaccine management system and further expand the national immunization drive to effectively protect people from infectious diseases.
Chen Zhu speaks at the panel discussion. /CGTN Photo
The draft says producers must use digital means to record data concerning production and inspection of vaccines, and ensure authenticity, integrity and tractability of the data.
Approval procedures and inspections must cover every batch of vaccines before they hit the market.
Health and drug authorities are now being asked to supervise the whole chain of vaccines, covering their research and development, production, circulation and use. Meanwhile, drug authorities are expected to intensify site inspection of vaccine production and dispatch inspectors to vaccine producers.
The draft imposes the strictest supervision system on vaccines. It says serious law violators, such as those producing fake or substandard vaccines, will receive harsher penalties. During the discussion, lawmakers say that the key is implementation.
Li Wei speaks at the panel discussion. /CGTN Photo
Lawmaker Li Wei suggested the country establish a national compensation standard instead of local standards when it comes to compensation for the victims of illegal vaccines. This will avoid lawsuits caused by different standards.
In addition to harsher penalties for extreme violations, senior executives and others involved will see salary deductions related to the violations, and pay fines.
They also may be banned for life from engaging in the pharmaceutical business.
More details are up for debate by lawmakers before the draft becomes law.
(Top image via VCG)