Stronger punishments for production and sale of fake drugs in China

Chinese authorities will hand out harsher punishment for the production and sale of fake and substandard drugs as the country combats increasingly severe drug scandals, judicial authorities have said, according to a report by the state news agency Xinhua today.

The decision came after the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) issued a joint judicial interpretation to crackdown on crimes related to drug safety, said Han Yaoyuan, a director with the SPP. Those who produce or sell fake or substandard drugs for pregnant women, infants, children and patients in critical condition will be given particularly heavier penalties, he said.

Producing or selling fake or substandard narcotic, psychotropic, radioactive, toxic, injectable and first aid drugs will also face harsher punishment, according to the judicial interpretation. Contraceptives and vaccines were also on the list.