Changsheng vaccines won't be used in city

Shanghai authorities will not use an already procured batch of chickenpox vaccines made by Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences, a city vice mayor stated yesterday.

The batch of vaccines is applicable to patients over 12 years old and was procured by Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention in April.

The center has not received the batch of chickenpox vaccines and these vaccines will not be put into use, Shanghai Vice Mayor Weng Tiehui told a press conference.

“All vaccines made by Changchun Changsheng will not be used in the city,” she said.

Earlier this month, Changchun Changsheng became embroiled in a scandal after authorities found that it had fabricated records and modified its production process.

Wu Jinglei, director of the Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission, said chickenpox vaccines from other supplies will be used instead. This announcements comes ahead of next month’s launch of a free citywide chickenpox inoculation program.

Also, Shanghai is gradually enhancing the informatization of the entire inoculation process, said Wu.

“The tracking codes of vaccines, the product codes of vaccines, the freezing and cold transport equipment codes, the information of patients and inoculation doctors; this information will all be linked,” said Wu.

Chen Yaoshui, deputy director of the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration, said the city has inspected local vaccine producers to ensure the safety of their products.

“People’s health is the top priority and authorities in Shanghai are very strict, prudent and careful on the supervision and management of the vaccination process,” said Weng. “Shanghai will further strengthen supervision and management of vaccines to prevent substandard vaccines from entering the city.”

Distributors and inoculation units in the city are required to check documents such as vaccine approvals and temperature records when they receive vaccines. Potentially compromised vaccines are to be rejected.

Changchun Changsheng is one of China’s largest vaccine producers. Recently uncovered irregularities at the company represent a serious violation of the law, according to China’s Food and Drug Administration.