Vaccine safety scare stalls China’s disease control

China’s health watchdog is worried that a drop in vaccination coverage driven by vaccine safety concerns will offset its achievements in limiting infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and measles. The number of children vaccinated for hepatitis B in 10 Chinese regions declined by 30 percent at the end of last year, Li Quanle, an official with the National Health and Family Planning Commission’s disease control and prevention bureau, warned ahead of World Immunization Week beginning on Friday. Vaccination coverage for other diseases also declined by 15 percent on average, said Li, citing a survey conducted after a series of deaths in December was blamed on vaccines. The 17 deaths were initially suspected to be caused by unqualified hepatitis B vaccines manufactured by Shenzhen-based BioKangtai and use of the company’s vaccines were halted. Such assumptions were later ruled out, however. The figures show how hard it is for China, a country which has successfully...