China will tighten its management of vaccines to ensure better health and safety, especially among young children and juveniles.
The move comes after a scandal in which a large quantity of improperly stored or expired vaccines have allegedly been sold nationwide since 2011.
Under the old regulation, which took effect in June 2005, some vaccines were provided free of charge by the government, while the public had the option of buying others. But the new regulation requires that distribution centers must procure their vaccines from provincial-level platforms.
It also prohibits pharmaceutical wholesale enterprises from trading in vaccines. A new system will be established to trace the vaccine from producer to user, with particular requirements for storage and transportation. Harsher penalties will be imposed on those who illegally trade in, and improperly store and transport vaccines.