Ever since the milk scandal in 2008 where six children died and 300,000 others became ill, China is in the limelight once again for all the wrong reasons. Only last week, a massive China vaccine scandal was uncovered, leaving parents outraged at how unscrupulous companies can be, just to make a profit.
The China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) announced that Changchun Changsheng Biotechnology, one of China’s major vaccine-makers, had violated quality management standards and forged inspection records for its rabies vaccinations for humans.
More than 250,000 faulty vaccines have been sold in Shandong province. It is a cause for concern because these vaccines can be given to infants as young as three months old! However, what was even more shocking was when CFDA announced a second violation by the same company.
Reportedly, authorities ran a separate investigation and found that their Jilin-based company had also been selling another type of substandard vaccine. This time it is the vaccine for treating diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DPT).
Putting a Halt to the China Vaccine Scandal
Chinese authorities ordered Changchun Changsheng Biotechnology to halt production immediately. Since then, their website has been attacked by hackers while company stock price plummeted.
Despite the company issuing a public apology, many are asking for a more severe punishment for those responsible. They have crossed the line by toying with lives and casting away all moral values for the sake of profit.
Fortunately, there have been no reports of anyone being harmed by these vaccines, yet. Local media confirms that the company’s rabies vaccine has been recalled and taken off the market.
However, the status on the DPT vaccine remains unclear. Nobody knows how many children have received these tainted vaccines, or of their long-term health effects.
With so much uncertainty, Chinese parents began expressing their concern and their outrage on social media. Not only are they worried and angry about the recent China vaccine scandal, but also at all the other public health scares in the country. When it comes to manufacturing products for children, you would think that most companies would do everything to ensure the safety of their products.
How Then to Raise a Healthy Child?
One netizen raised an important question on social media which says it all:
“How am I supposed to raise a healthy child if I cannot give them vaccines or let them drink milk?”
Indeed. How will parents know if something is safe or not if scandals like these continue to happen?
Both vaccines and milk formula play an important role in bringing up a healthy child.
What happens when parents lose faith in them? We already have enough issues with anti-vaxxers as it is.
One very angry Weibo user argued that these people should not be fined, but instead be put to death saying that “endangering the health of children is the most grave of crimes.”
Corruption has seen the distribution of two million potentially dangerous vaccines across 24 provinces over the course of five years on the black market.
There is a lot to be wary about now that everyone is talking about the China vaccine scandal. Just how safe are these homegrown vaccines? Have they infiltrated other countries? What if other companies are also doing the same for profit? What’s scarier is that nobody can guarantee the health and safety of the vaccinated children.
Fear Among Parents
Scandals like this plant fear in parents as they begin to lose faith in what is supposed to be safe.
However, worries about faulty or fake vaccines shouldn’t keep you from vaccinating your kids. The decision not to immunise a child can also be just as deadly. It is a decision that puts your child and others at risk of catching a disease that may be dangerous or life-threatening.
All vaccine makers should be practicing at the highest level of safety so that people can have faith in them. How can parents decide to vaccinate their children if the vaccines themselves are tainted? After all, we are talking about the wellbeing and future of our children here. What can be more important than their safety?
Source: Shanghaiist, WebMD
Read also: The best gift we could give our son on his first birthday: vaccines!