Zhengzhou (AsiaNews)- Li Zhongqi, a university graduate of animal husbandry, and his wife, were arrested at their home on Thursday for making and selling fake vaccinations against the deadly bird flu virus. The young couple has been producing the fake vaccine since 2001.
When a poultry farmer from the village of Dazhao reported on Jan. 30 that hundreds of her chickens died after being injected with what she thought was an authentic vaccine, police began investigating the case. Police found in the couple's house nearly 2,700 bottles of the fake vaccine in 250ml and 500ml containers. Zhongqi, 23 years-old, reportedly told the police that he and his wife had organized an extensive network for distribution, and sold the 'vaccine' to villagers for as little as half the price of the original. Production equipment and five hundred bottles of the substance, labeled "Henan Agricultural University" and "Beijing Agricultural University" were confiscated by authorities. "We sold the same vaccine each time, but labelled it differently depending on the farmers' needs." Zhongqi was quoted as saying. Mainland media reports that 944 bottles of the fake vaccine had been sold by the couple since January.
This case is only the tip of the iceberg, experts insist, and production and use of the artificial vaccines is common. " There is a trade in fake vaccines, not only in China but in several other countries and it is necessary for authorities to crack down on this practice, "said Roy Wadia, spokesperson for the World Health Organization. "It is not only illegal but dangerous."
