It alleged a complex web of corruption going back decades.
A vaccine scandal in China began building slowly and then suddenly, this weekend, it was everywhere at once.
The story began back in November, when a large vaccine manufacturer called Changsheng Biotechnology was forced to recall 252,600 ineffective doses of vaccines for DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus). Then earlier this July, a government investigation caught Changsheng falsifying data about its rabies vaccine, and a local food and drug administration fined the company 3.44 million yuan, or approximately $500,000, over the faulty DPT vaccines.
Over the weekend, an anonymous post recounting all this and more went viral on the Chinese social network WeChat. In addition to the recent developments, it alleged a complex web of corruption that went back decades, involving other vaccines for hepatitis B and chicken pox. The post was deleted the next day.
But by then, a full-blown national scandal had erupted. The Chinese government this week scrambled to put out statements assuring a prompt investigation. President Xi Jinping described the situation as “ vile and shocking.” Police on Monday announced the swift arrest of four of the company’s executives, including its chairwoman.
Changsheng’s vaccines have not yet been tied to any deaths or illnesses, but the story caught on because it so perfectly echoed many scandals that have rocked China in recent years. In 2016, for example, a hospital pharmacist sold two million doses of vaccines improperly stored in an “ overheated, dilapidated storeroom.” That came after scandals over tainted milk, infant formula, pork, cooking oil, and water. The scandals, one after another, have undermined trust in the government’s ability to keep the public safe.
“People in leadership aren’t doing their best by the people,” one user commented on Weibo, a Twitter-like Chinese social network. “It’s a series of scandals about fake baby formula, fake vaccines, child abuse in daycares, sexual assault… everything we eat, wear, and use endangers us.”
“My children already drink imported baby formula, now they need to start getting imported vaccines,” said another Weibo user .
