Beijing: Makers and sellers of fake drugs that lead to "very serious damage" to human health may face heavy fines, life imprisonment or even death penalty under a draft proposal in China, state media reported.

Individuals, manufacturers and health institutions involved in producing, selling and using fake drugs would be slapped with stiff penalty, a draft judicial interpretation of the state drug safety watchdog said.
Those involved in cases where fake drugs lead to "very serious damage" to human health may face heavy fines, life imprisonment or even the death penalty, the draft, jointly written by China s Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People s Procuratorate, said.

Serious deformities, grievous bodily harm to more than three people or slight injury to more than 10 people is considered "very serious damage", official Xinhua news agency said.

Hospitals could also face trouble if they purchase, store or use drugs they know to be fake or substandard. Criminal charges are also proposed against those who provide materials, funds, facilities or other help to producers, distributors or sellers of fake or substandard drugs.

Selling fake or substandard medicines during natural disasters or public health emergencies would be punished heavily according to law. Evidence provided by drug safety administrations above the County level would be sufficient for prosecution as against the present system of the evidence having to come from drug safety administrations above the provincial level.

Source : PTI