Jan.25 - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday ordered a thorough investigation into allegations of corruption against Zheng Xiaoyu, the former head of China's pharmaceutical watchdog.

 

Wen ordered the probe while presiding over a State Council executive meeting after hearing a Ministry of Supervision report on Zheng, who retired as head of the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) in June 2005.

 

Zheng neglected his duty to supervise the drug market, abused the administration's drug approval authority to take bribes and turned a blind eye to malpractice by relatives and subordinate officials, the meeting heard.

 

"The corruption had a vile effect, as Zheng's offences threatened public health and tarnished the image of the Party and the government," the report said.

 

The State Council ordered a thorough investigation and stern penalties, describing the case as typical of power abuse and dereliction of duty.

 

Zheng first came under investigation by the Communist Party of China central commission for discipline inspection in December last year.

 

Zheng was appointed director of the SFDA when it was launched in 1998.

 

In 2002, China adopted national standards to replace local standards for approving medicines. All new medicines must be approved by the SFDA before they can be sold.

 

Zheng, born in December 1949, has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 23 years. He was the head of a pharmaceutical factory in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, until 1994.

 

Hao Heping, one of Zheng's former secretaries, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for bribery in November last year. Cao Wenzhuang, another former secretary, came under investigation in January last year.

 

The meeting was called to discuss illegal operations in the pharmaceutical market and deepen reforms of the drug approval system so as to ensure public safety.

 

State Councilors called for reinforced supervision on drug research and development, production, circulation and clinical use.

 

Consumers' confidence in the country's drug industry hit a record low last year after a series of cases in which substandard drugs caused fatalities and exposed corruption.

 

Xinfu, an antibiotic drug made by a company in east China's Anhui Province, caused at least ten deaths last year. The SFDA banned the use of the product and ordered its recall.

 

The councilors also instructed government officials and leading cadres to learn from Zheng's case and promote the fight against corruption.