China’s health authorities have opened an emergency investigation into reports that a batch of human blood plasma products sold contained traces of HIV, Caixin reports.
The National Health Commission said that the report claimed state-backed Shanghai Xinxing Medicine Co. had produced and sold intravenous immunoglobulin which tested positive for HIV antibodies, indicating presence of the virus itself.
The Commission also instructed medical institutions to immediately stop using and quarantine the products, and monitor patients who had been administered the drug as part of immunological treatment. Shanghai Xinxing has also been forced to halt production and recall all drugs.
China has had its fair share of pharmaceutical industry scandals in recent years, eroding public trust in the quality of domestically-produced goods. The last high-profile case was in July when it was revealed that vaccine manufacturer Changchun Changsheng had sold up to 500,000 substandard doses for diseases such as diptheria and tetanus.
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