Kiran Mazumdar Shaw slams 'fake news' of her link to Covid test kit procurement from China

The founder of biopharmaceutical giant- Biocon, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has rejected reports that her company was involved in the procurement of testing kits from China. Taking to Twitter, Shaw on Tuesday has said that she intends to file a defamation case against those who spread this fake news. Calling it 'outrageous', she clarified that her company has 'nothing' to do with these tests. 

READ | ICMR advises states to stop usage of COVID rapid testing kits from 2 Chinese manufacturers

China's response 

Issuing a detailed response over faulty anti-body testing kits, China has rejected the claims by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong said in a statement issued early on Tuesday that the quality of medical products exported from China is 'prioritized', calling action taken as 'unfair and irresponsible'. China also claimed that the statement made by ICMR is an example of 'prejudice'.

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“The quality of medical products exported from China is prioritized. It is unfair and irresponsible for certain individuals to label Chinese products as ‘faulty’ and look at issues with pre-emptive prejudice,” Rong said. The spokesperson also added that both Wondfo and Livzon had clarified that their testing kits had been certified by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), meet the quality standards China and importing countries, and had also been validated and approved by ICMR through the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.

Earlier on April 24, Rong had taken to Twitter and said that Chinese companies Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech Co. Ltd. & Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics Inc. have made clarifications on the quality of their exported testing kits to India.

READ | China issues stung first response as ICMR cancels 15 lakh inaccurate Covid test kits order

ICMR takes action 

Acting on faulty anti-body testing kits, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), on Monday cancelled the order of 15 lakh rapid anti-body test kits from China. The two firms - Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics which were given the order - have supplied kits which have produced inaccurate results, the body cited. Earlier in the day, ICMR had issued an advisory to states across the country halting the use of rapid antibody tests procured from two Chinese manufacturers.

READ |  ICMR cancels all 15 lakh anti-body test kits ordered from China after inaccurate results