China's drug watchdog issued an emergency notice to suspend the selling and consumption of a list of capsules with reported excessive chromium contamination. The next day, a report run by the CCTV revealed that several commonly used drugs were packed into capsules made from industrial gelatin, which contains a much higher degree of chromium than edible gelatin.

Food scandals slowly spiralling out of control

Public anger surged again after media reports revealed that medical capsule products used by several pharmaceutical companies contained industrial gelatin, including high doses of chromium.

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The List of Problematic Capsules (Source: CCTV)

Company	Problematic drugs	Batch number	Chrome Content
Qinghai Geladandong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	Nao KangTai Capsules curing diseases on CCVD	1108204	39.064mg/kg
Qinghai Geladandong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	Yushangling Capsules used to cure wounds	1008205	3.46mg/kg
Changchun Haiwai Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd	Penyanjing Capsules, a Gynecological Medicine	20110201	15.22mg/kg
Changchun Haiwai Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd	Cang'erzi Biyan Capsules used for Rhinits	20110903	17.65mg/kg
Changchun Haiwai Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd	Tongbianling Capsules used for constipation	20100601	37.26mg/kg
Dandong Tongyuan Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	Galculus Bovis and Metronidazole Capsules used for toothaches	20111203	10.48mg/kg
Jilin Huinan Tianyu Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	Natural Shield Capsules used for virus flu	091102	3.54mg/kg
Sichuan Shuzhong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	Amoxacllin Capsules, anti-inflammatory Medicine	120101	2.69mg/kg
Sichuan Shuzhong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	Norfloxacin Capsules used for infectious diseases	0911012	3.58mg/kg
Xiuzheng Pharmaceutical Group Stock Co Ltd	Lingyang Ganmao Capsules used for the common cold	100901	4.44mg/kg
Tonghua Golden-Horse Pharmaceutical Indusstry Co Ltd	Qingretonglin Capsules used to treat fever	20111007	87.57mg/kg
Tonghua Shenghe Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	Weikangling Capsules used for stomach diseases	111003	51.45mg/kg
Tonghua Yason Pharmaceutical Co Ltd	Yanlixiao Capsules with anti-phlogosis effect	110601	181.54mg/kg

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Comments and Analysis More>>

Scandals tarnish public's view of industry (月日)
Food scandals slowly spiralling out of control (月日)
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Toxic capsules reignite concerns over drug safety (月日)
Food safety system needs more bite (月日)

Process: How are capsules made of industrial gelatin

Step 1：Materials
	Collected leather leftovers as materials that are supposed to be used in leather clothing.

Step 2: Liquid Industrial gelatin
The leather leftovers were processed with calcium oxide and an industrial acid base the process of which causes the exceeding chromium content of the capsules.

Step 3: Industrial gelatin
	Concentrated and then dried liquid industrial gelatin. The chromium content of the industrial gelatin is usually around 15 times higher than the standard, which is 2mg/kg.

Step 4: Used as an edible gelatin
Problematic capsules were made from the industrial gelatin and then sold in pharmaceutical stores.

Step 5: Liquefying the gelatin
	Liquefied and changed the color tone of the industrial gelatin before decontaminating it with chemical materials.

Customers bought and took the capsules as a cure for their sickness.

Internet users' views:

A batch of medicinal capsules was found to have been made of industrial gelatin, a substance forbidden from medical use, according to a China Central Television (CCTV) report Sunday.

@_黄小贱- ：Medicine companies have already earned surprisingly huge interests, so how can they pursue the money to such a degree? Where are their hearts?

@ 拾叁浩：I always take the capsules off and directly take the medicine contained inside them. It seems that I will have to continue doing this and discard the capsule.

@Judeflying：Why do the authorities make the punishments only after media reports? What are they doing at other times?

@ 70后760906：We didn't find the problem before, but now that we find it, can we follow the international scientific practices, and cope with these health-damaging behaviors which are caused by a lack of supervision within the market and the law?

@环保老记成亚威：We should bring the concept of supply chain into the management of medicine companies. The medicine enterprises must take inspections over the products provided by the supply chain, and take responsibility for their quality.

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