WHO urges tighter regulations for private vaccines

Source: Shanghai Daily

THE World Health Organization yesterday urged tighter regulation of privately sold vaccines in China amid an ongoing scandal involving more than 20 provincial regions.

The case involves the illegal and improper storage, transport and sale of tens of millions of dollars’ worth of vaccines.

“The vaccines that are in the private sector need to be managed, stored, handled, distributed and used in accordance with recognized standards,” Lance Rodewald, a WHO expert on immunization, told a briefing in Beijing. “This is a very serious situation, it’s being taken seriously. We take it seriously. We want to see the root causes identified so that remedies can be provided.”

However, he stressed that the vaccines involved wouldn’t be toxic or harmful, they may just have lost their effectiveness.