CHINA: DRUG OFFICIAL'S DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD

the Higher People's Court of Beijing, China, rejected a former senior drug official's appeal and upheld his death sentence and two-year reprieve, the Beijing Evening News reported. Cao Wenzhuang, the former director of the Drug Registration Department under China's top drug approving authority, was found guilty of taking 2.34 million yuan (US$309,524) in bribes from pharmaceutical companies for drug registrations from 2003 to 2005. He was also convicted of improperly lowering criteria for drugs in clinical trials to increase the chances of medicines reaching the market. If he behaves well the next two years in jail, his death sentence will be commuted to life in prison.