State Council investigates vaccine case

BEIJING - The State Council on Wednesday released a briefing on the progress of an investigation into an illegal vaccine production case.

A State Council team was sent to Jilin province on Monday to investigate Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Limited for illegally making rabies vaccines for human use.

The team is headed by Bi Jingquan, secretary of the leading Party members group and deputy director of the State Market Regulatory Administration.

Bi called the investigation team's first meeting on Tuesday and relayed the instructions of the country's top leaders and called for a sound investigation, punishment for offenders, and proper settlement of ensuing matters to resolutely guard the safety bottom line and maintain social security and stability.

The meeting laid out seven areas of work:

-- thoroughly investigate the company's illicit acts, find the facts of the illicit operation and the whereabouts of the vaccines concerned, and gather evidence;

-- strictly punish any illegal act in accordance with the law, discipline the company and punish those found responsible;

-- investigate whether government workers had duly performed their duties and hold accountable anyone found in dereliction of duty;

-- conduct well-conceived risk analysis and study measures of remedies;

-- handle follow-up work concerning the relevant company properly;

-- address public concern by releasing information of the investigation progress in a timely manner and popularizing the knowledge on vaccine safety;

-- study ways to improve vaccine management and set up a long-term mechanism to ensure vaccine safety.

The team is divided into small groups focusing on investigation, supervision accountability, general affairs and expertise.

The team heard work reports of Jilin provincial government and drug administration. The Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and National Supervisory Commission, the Ministry of Public Security, National Health Commission and China Securities Regulatory Commission also reported their work to the team.

The State Drug Administration, meanwhile, is inspecting the entire product chain of every vaccine maker.