THE top legislature Saturday passed a law on vaccine administration, which stipulates the “strictest” management by requiring a whole-process supervision system and toughening penalties on producing and selling fake or substandard vaccines.

The law was adopted after the third reading at a bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, which closed Saturday.

As the country’s first legislation dedicated to vaccine management, the new law will go into effect Dec. 1, 2019.

According to the law, supervision of vaccines will cover the whole process, from vaccine development, production and distribution to vaccination.

Specialized inspection teams of pharmaceutical professionals will be established at the central and provincial levels to conduct the supervision work.

An electronic information system will be set up to make all information of vaccines trackable, such as production and package information of vaccines, period of validity, date of vaccination, and medical workers who conduct the vaccination and the recipients. The records must be retained for at least five years after the expiry of the vaccine, according to the law.

To increase the transparency of the industry, vaccine license holders are required to publish vaccine information on their websites in a timely manner, including product instructions and labels, official approval, recall information, inspections and punishment received and compulsory insurances covered.  (Xinhua)