More than 250,000 faulty vaccines for Chinese children have been found to be faulty, inciting widespread fury. President, Xi Jinping describes the incident as “vile and shocking.” and orders prompts investigation.
Chinese social media posts expressed anger with hashtag #Changsheng vaccine case# being viewed 470 million times by Monday. Online message boards have been inundated with hundreds of thousands of comments.
“My home country, how can I trust you? You just let me down again and again,” one user said. “Our trust has been overdrawn again and again, it’s so irresponsible for everyone’s life,” said another.
China’s Food and Drug Administration has launched probe into vaccine manufacturer Changchun Changsheng Biotechnology, revoking its license for human rabies vaccines and beginning a recall of all unused vaccines produced by the company.
Five senior executives of the company, including the chairwoman, were taken into custody for questioning by Changchun police, who announced they had begun an official criminal investigation into the company.
On Sunday, China’s food and drug administration said it was investigating Changsheng, whose name means “long life,” and that all production had been halted. The company issued a statement expressing its “deepest apology.”
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged severe punishment for the people involved, saying the incident had “crossed a moral line”. He said “We will resolutely crack down on illegal and criminal acts that endanger the safety of peoples’
“Thousands of mothers around the country are worried. Over 200,000 children could be affected. What kind of society am I living in?” asked one woman on Weibo.
“My son will be vaccinated next month. I don’t know whether or not to let him,” said another.
