CCTV9英语新闻：Gov't suspends China's 3 major Hep. B vaccine makers

By CCTV Tang Bo

China’s three major hepatitis B vaccine 1 makers 2 have been ordered to suspend production. The country’s Food and Drug Administration made the announcement after the companies failed to get certified 3 under the new Pharmaceutical 4 Products standard. The move is a sign of the government’s toughening resolve to deal with drug safety in the country.

Coming down hard on medicine makers.

China’s Food and Drug Administration halted hepatitis B vaccine production by the country’s big three manufacturers: Beijing Tiantan Biological Products, BioKangtai, and Dalian Hissen Bio-Pharm.

They had had until the end of 2013 to meet the country’s updated manufacturing practices set out by the Pharmaceutical Products standard. And when they failed to meet the deadline, the government took action.

“We will not allow any products that do not meet the standard to pass examinations. We will organize certification examinations in a timely manner for all products that meet the standard.” Li Guoqing, senior official of China Food & Drug Administration, said.

Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection. And the three companies produce 80 percent of the vaccines 5 to deal with the infection in China.

The government said vaccine supplies are still sufficient to meet market demand despite the production suspension.

And vaccines produced before the deadline meet standard and so are still permitted to be sold. There are seven companies in all that offer vaccines against the disease in China. But only two have passed the new certification standard.

Beijing Tiantan said in a statement that the company will resume production once new facilities that comply with government standards are open.

BioKongtai said it is now assisting investigators 6, while Dalian Hissen hasn’t released any statement so far.

This follows recent incidents in which 17 newborn babies died after being inoculated 7 against hepatitis B virus. Authorities last week ruled that the vaccines were NOT the cause of the deaths. But concerns remain among the public over drug safety.

“Children are innocent. I feel sorry for them. The government must be tough on drug safety issues.”

“I am going to deliver a baby soon, so the incident has made me concerned. The government should strengthen monitoring on drug producers.”

“We still have to use vaccines no matter what, so it’s important that the government can ensure drug safety.”

Hu Yinglian, a sociology expert from the Chinese Academy of Governance, believes that better public awareness 8 must also be a part of the government’s supervision 9 campaign.

“A strong reaction from the public is understandable. But people need to have a scientific understanding of vaccines. So the supervisory departments need to guide the media and organize ways for drug manufacturers and scientists to communicate with the public so that people will be able to know how vaccines work and if they are safe to use.” Hu said.

Hu adds that the inoculation 10 rate has dropped by 30 percent since the newborn deaths were first reported. That means the infection rate of hepatitis B could increase dramatically in two years. That could affect domestic vaccine manufacturers.

“To restore public confidence, first of all, we must modify the drug production system, and improve the industrial quality so that drug manufacturers place product quality as their top priority. Second, we need to strengthen monitoring and be able to evaluate and manage possible risks caused by drug products. Thirdly, there should be more cooperation between medical institutions and supervisory departments.”  Hu said.

Reporter: “The three companies may resume production after getting certification, but public confidence in China’s health authorities and the country’s drug safety regime has been hurt. Experts say the production suspension by the government is meant to send a strong signal to drug makers, in hopes of restoring public confidence. An all-around monitoring system from manufacturing to responding to emergencies is needed."

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1
vaccine

  
 


n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的


参考例句：





The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。












2
makers

  
 


n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）


参考例句：





The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》












3
certified

  
 


a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的


参考例句：





Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。












4
pharmaceutical

  
 


adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的


参考例句：





She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。












5
vaccines

  
 


疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )


参考例句：





His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。












6
investigators

  
 


n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )


参考例句：





This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》












7
inoculated

  
 


v.给…做预防注射( inoculate的过去式和过去分词 )


参考例句：





A pedigree pup should have been inoculated against serious diseases before it's sold. 纯种狗应该在出售前注射预防严重疾病的针。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Disease can be spread by dirty tools, insects, inoculated soil. 疾病也能由不干净的工具，昆虫，接种的土壤传播。 来自辞典例句












8
awareness

  
 


n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智


参考例句：





There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。












9
supervision

  
 


n.监督，管理


参考例句：





The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。












10
inoculation

  
 


n.接芽；预防接种


参考例句：





Travellers are reminded that inoculation against yellow fever is advisable. 提醒旅游者接种预防黄热病的疫苗是明智的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
Travelers are reminded that inoculation against yellow fever is advisable. 旅客们被提醒，注射黄热病预防针是明智的。 来自辞典例句