A trail of poisoned medicine leads back to China – International Herald Tribune — These stories just keep getting worse and more prevalent. The culprits will be tracked down by the Chinese government and executed, you watch. I used to think it was weird that China would commonly execute businessmen, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that the sort of horrible corrupt practices stemming from China require harsh measures and it still continues.
Much of this also stems from the Chinese notion that the best way to do business is to have the lowest price not the finest quality. When you ask a Chinese businessman what his marketing plan is he’ll always say, “Best price!”
Toxic syrup has figured in at least eight mass poisonings around the world in the past two decades. Researchers estimate that thousands have died. In many cases, the precise origin of the poison has never been determined. But records and interviews show that in three of the last four cases it was made in China, a major source of counterfeit drugs.
Panama is the most recent victim. Last year, government officials there unwittingly mixed diethylene glycol into 260,000 bottles of cold medicine, with devastating results. Families have reported 365 deaths from the poison, 100 of which have been confirmed so far. With the onset of the rainy season, investigators are racing to exhume as many potential victims as possible before bodies decompose even more.
Panama’s death toll leads directly to Chinese companies that made and exported the poison as 99.5 percent pure glycerin.
Much of this also stems from the Chinese notion that the best way to do business is to have the lowest price not the finest quality. When you ask a Chinese businessman what his marketing plan is he’ll always say, “Best price!”
If you asked the Japanese the same question back in the 50s and 60s, you would have gotten the same answer. Nowadays, the Japanese quality is on par with most western companies.
As for the article. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to buy something edible (no matter if it’s food or medicine) from mainland China. China is the Wild Wild East right now… people wants to get rich quick… and the result is questionable business practices.
One would think that testing procedures would be in place in the mfg. of that medicine. Shame on those who used the ‘glycerin’ without testing it. Sometimes the FDA actually does protect us.
I don’t even want to think about taking some cough syrup for a cold and ending up in the morgue. What a nightmare for the victims and families.
#1 Jägermeister, “Nowadays, the Japanese quality is on par with most western companies.”
Where have you been? Japanese quality exceeds most if not all western countries; think Toyota.
If you want to know why read about Edwards Deming and JAPAN’S QUALITY MOVEMENT.
#3
Oki… They exceed. More happy? 🙂
When we discovered 1 (one) mad cow in a feedlot in Mabton, Washington, Red China shut down all U.S. beef imports, a ban that it has yet to fully lift. But when we have thousands of dead family pets, tainted pigs and chickens, and who knows what else, the Red Chinese imports are unaffected. WTF?
#5
Yea, now I need a cigarette!
#7 – LOL 😀
It is a shame that the Enron and WorldCom executives didn’t live in China and had their asses executed. I can only hope they become someone’s bitch in jail or at least given some Chinese cough syrup.
#6, right on!
I’d be in favor of levying tariffs on all goods originating from China to pay for testing. If China complains, well they started it.
#6 Brenda – I agree 100%
I can’t speak to China but the problem of poor quality, fakes and drugs that just don’t work is huge in South Asia.
Scumbags will put tap water in vials and sell it as insulin to get a quick profit — never mind that it kills people.
When you Americans complain about taxes — at least be happy that your government TRIES to keep things like medicines safe, effective, tested, correctly labeled, etc.
Many countries may have lower taxes but then they live in a far more dangerous world.
#4, noname
Good post. I agree. I knew there was something I really liked about you.
#6, Brenda,
Very good point. It only further pisses me off that Chinese goods enter the country all the time with fraudulent paperwork and the inspectors are just too overworked and discouraged from pursuing it.
#7, but stay away from Chinese smokes.