11/20/2010

Kickbacks in China's Hospitals: An Institutional Flaw

Hospitals in China rely heavily on drug selling to continue their operation, giving doctors a chance to make illegal money. Pictured: A comic satirizing the kickback problem in China's medical industry. (Photo/Xinhua)

Hospitals in China rely heavily on drug selling to continue their operation, giving doctors a chance to make illegal money. Pictured: A comic satirizing the kickback problem in China's medical industry. (Photo/Xinhua)

China's Ministry of Health has vowed to tackle bribery in hospitals after news of a scandal involving dozens of doctors in eastern China broke early this week.

The news emerged in a list published on social networking website 19lao on Nov. 15, accusing doctors at several hospitals in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, of taking bribes from a pharmaceutical company.

The list explicitly detailed the name and price of drugs, medical equipment, and the names of medical staff involved in the kickbacks. These staff received payoffs in cash, oil cards, digital cameras and shopping cards.

According to the official People's Daily, an unnamed official at the Ministry of Health said those found to have accepted bribes would face suspension from work or having their medical licenses revoked in serious cases.

Bribery is a common problem in the medical industry in China. Some pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies pay kickbacks to doctors and hospital staff to boost their sales. The cases in Hangzhou are typical.

A poll conducted by People's Daily Online asked the public why they thought corruption was present in hospitals. Among 9,647 online voters, 49% of them said it was because punishments for corruption are not harsh enough; 33% said doctors are not reasonably treated and cannot reach a balance between duty and reward; and 15% said receiving kickbacks is a hidden rule in the business.

Read more at  Want China Times

Nov 20, 2010 8:52:30 AM | Current Affairs, Medicine

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