China investigates pills made of 'baby flesh'

BEIJING / CHANGCHUN - The Ministry of Health said on Tuesday that it has launched an investigation  in the wake of a media report in South Korea about capsules from China - made from the flesh of dead babies - being used as stamina boosters. Deng Haihua, spokesman of the ministry, said on Tuesday that the ministry has instructed its provincial agency in Jilin to look into the case. Deng said China has strict management of disposal of infant and fetal remains as well as placentas. "Any practice that handles the remains as medical waste is strictly prohibited," Deng said. According to the country's regulations, medical institutions and their staff are prohibited from trading corpses. The Global Times reported on Monday that SBS, one of the three major national television networks in South Korea, broadcast a documentary on Aug 6 about the appearance of capsules from China containing dead baby flesh. According to the report, the TV program warned that some of the capsules were taken by Koreans. The television team claimed to have been to China, found the hospital that sold the materials, and taken video of the manufacturing process.