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More than 350 prominent figures in the healthcare industry were punished in a 2024 anti-corruption campaign in China, as the Chinese government doubled down on a sweeping campaign that has been ongoing for more than a decade, SCMP reported.
According to a report by the National Supervisory Commission (NSC), China’s top anti-corruption watchdog, the Chinese government has been thoroughly investigating cases of healthcare professionals exploiting medical services and misusing insurance funds, and has taken strong action against unethical practices in the industry, such as kickbacks and accepting bribes, according to a report seen by the South China Morning Post.
China’s National Supervisory Commission submitted the report to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, on Dec. 22, 2024.
Over the past year, there were 52,000 medical corruption cases filed nationwide, with 40,000 people punished and 2,634 referred to trial, according to the NSC report.
The cases included (such as misuse of medical insurance funds and kickbacks in the pharmaceutical industry)
The scope of the crackdown was wide-ranging, taking down at least 350 prominent figures, including senior health officials, hospital directors, senior academics and pharmaceutical company executives, according to a report by the state-run China News Agency on Tuesday.
More than a third were mid-level officials, while 30 held higher positions. The report said more than 180 hospital directors and Communist Party members at the provincial secretary level were investigated, including at least 63 from top-tier hospitals.
Some of the officials were investigated nearly a decade after leaving their posts.
At least 44 people have turned themselves in to authorities, the report said.
A revision to the Criminal Law Amendment, which came into effect in March 2024, stipulated harsher penalties for those who offer bribes in the food, medicine, social security and healthcare sectors.
In October 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation published draft guidelines on combating corruption in the healthcare industry, providing clear guidance on the management of activities and resources that tend to be misused, such as hospitality spending, clinical research funding, and the use of discounts and rebates.
In 2025, the anti-corruption body will launch campaigns on the use of rural revitalization funds, the management of medical insurance funds and elderly care services.
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