Tuesday, May 29, 2007

China's top drug regulator sentenced to death

China's top drug regulator sentenced to death
Zheng convicted of accepting bribes, dereliction of duty
BREAKING NEWS
The Associated Press
Updated: 7:59 p.m. PT May 28, 2007

BEIJING - China's top drug regulator was sentenced to death on charges of corruption and negligence, state media said Tuesday, the latest development stemming from growing alarm over the country's poor food-safety record.

Zheng Xiaoyu was convicted and sentenced "on charges of taking bribes and dereliction of duty" at the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People's Court, the Xinhua News Agency said in a brief dispatch. No other details were given.

Zheng was fired in 2005 on charges he took up to US$780,000 in bribes to approve medicine that had not been tested to ensure its safety.

State media have reported that drugs improperly approved by Zheng's agency included an antibiotic that killed at least 10 patients last year before it was taken off the market.

This breaking news story will be updated.

 

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