China targets medical bribery
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2006-04-16 10:20 China's drug watchdog agency
says it will blacklist companies whose drug production and selling involves
bribery, said a senior agency official.
The companies which won contracts to produce and sell drugs and medical
equipment based on illegal deals may face loss of production licenses, said Shao
Mingli, director of the State Food and Drug Administration.
Shao detailed elements of the anti-bribery campaign at a national conference
held on Thursday in Beijing.
In his presentation, Shao highlighted several priorities on curbing
commercial bribery in drug and medical equipment businesses, such as providing
commissions to health workers in public bidding, qualification authentication
and inclusion in medical insurance system.
A whistleblower's hotline has been made public by the SFDA, which also
requires provincial food and drug authorities to encourage complaints from the
public.
Some companies and individuals have offered commissions to health officials
and staff to secure contracts for substandard drugs and medical equipment,
resulting in medical accidents.
And some doctors prescribed expensive drugs for which they received
kickbacks.
China's Ministry of Health has appointed a team headed by Health Minister Gao
Qiang to lead the national crackdown on commercial bribery in the health sector.
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