Five AstraZeneca employees have been detained by Chinese police, according to Bloomberg News. The arrests are part of an investigation into the illegal import of cancer medication into China.
AstraZeneca spokesperson Freja Annamatz confirmed the investigation but provided no additional details. The employees were arrested earlier this summer in Shenzhen, where the Swedish-British company has operated since 1993.
The detained individuals, all Chinese nationals, were involved in advertising a cancer drug. One line of inquiry includes whether their collection of patient information violated China’s data protection laws. Additionally, the investigation examines their role in importing unapproved cancer medications.
AstraZeneca, headquartered in Södertälje, Sweden, has not commented on whether the investigation involves drugs manufactured in Sweden. The Shenzhen police have declined to comment on the case.
Source: SVT
