BEIJING, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- China is to cancel the serologicaltest of hepatitis B in physical examinations, currently a requirement for students to enter schools or for employees to join new companies, an official from China's Health Ministry has said.
Deng Haihua, deputy director of the general office of the ministry, said Saturday a guidance was being drafted for the cancellation.
Hepatitis B was a blood infectious disease that would not be transmitted in daily lives through air and food, Deng said at a press conference.
"A hepatitis B disease carrier does no harm to others' health and the new practice will not increase the disease transmission," Deng added.
Though the hepatitis B test was to be canceled, the physical examination of liver functions would remain, Deng said.
www.chinaview.cn 2009-10-11 08:59:04
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/11/content_12209600.htm
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services VS Ministry of Health P.R China
Let’s have a look at the homepage of U.S. Department of Health and that of its counterpart in China.
U.S Version:
On the bottom of right side of the homepage, we can easily find the section “Health Information Privacy”. It’s very striking just because it’s very important.
China Version:
No any information about “Health Information Privacy”. I perused the homepage up and down, again and again. Nothing can be found about “Health Information Privacy”.
The result of the comparison baffled me so much that I can’t help asking where the right of health info privacy is for people in China. Can the government expose people’s health privacy as it wishes?
As for the HBV carries in China, they are deprived of their due rights to study and work just because they are HBV carries. And they were treated as demons of virus.
As you know, in China, pre-employment blood test of employees for hepatitis B is forced. And the test result is NOT protected by any law for its privacy.
U.S. Department of Health teaches its Chinese counterpart a lesson!
May our own government will and be willing to learn!
http://www.hhs.gov/
Health Information Privacy
The Office for Civil Rights enforces the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information, and the confidentiality provisions of the Patient Safety Rule, which protect identifiable information being used to analyze patient safety events and improve patient safety.
http://www.moh.gov.cn/
Nothing mentions Health Information Privacy
U.S Version:
On the bottom of right side of the homepage, we can easily find the section “Health Information Privacy”. It’s very striking just because it’s very important.
China Version:
No any information about “Health Information Privacy”. I perused the homepage up and down, again and again. Nothing can be found about “Health Information Privacy”.
The result of the comparison baffled me so much that I can’t help asking where the right of health info privacy is for people in China. Can the government expose people’s health privacy as it wishes?
As for the HBV carries in China, they are deprived of their due rights to study and work just because they are HBV carries. And they were treated as demons of virus.
As you know, in China, pre-employment blood test of employees for hepatitis B is forced. And the test result is NOT protected by any law for its privacy.
U.S. Department of Health teaches its Chinese counterpart a lesson!
May our own government will and be willing to learn!
http://www.hhs.gov/
Health Information Privacy
The Office for Civil Rights enforces the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information, and the confidentiality provisions of the Patient Safety Rule, which protect identifiable information being used to analyze patient safety events and improve patient safety.
http://www.moh.gov.cn/
Nothing mentions Health Information Privacy
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Deprecate HBV Discrimination On Street in Nanjing City
They appeal to annul the mandatory Hepatitis B test when it's not necessary when you apply a job position or just enter kindergarten or school.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
A Public Letter From HBV Carriers In China
Dear Madam/ Sir,
Appreciate for your time of reading our previous letter. We’d like to share the current situation and a real story with you. The critical matter whether cancel the mandatory Hepatitis B test is still pending. Your support in this fateful moment can save 130 million people’s lives. We do appreciate your understanding and help. Below are some information shared with you.
Information about Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China (MOH)
·Today is the hearing deadline of the policy which permits children of HBV carriers to enter kindergartens.
·On July 30, Mr. Cui Fuqiang, director of the office of viral hepatitis at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of China said that the Ministry of Health would cancel the hepatitis B test in regular physical examinations. The next day, Mr. Haihua Deng, a spokesman of MOH, clarified that this was not an official statement but just an expert’s opinion. And then, MOH kept silent and postponed the news release conference which should be held on August 10 without any explanation. Comparing with massive media coverage, experts’ comments and hot arguments in Chinese society, MOH keeps silent till this moment.
·(Background Info) In 2007, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the PRC enacted the China Employment Promotion Law. The main objectives of this new legislation include promoting employment, establishing fair employment conditions, and banning employment discrimination. The penalty for employers who break the law is only RMB1,000 (about $143). The consequence of this law is employers began to reject HBV carriers for other excuses instead of hepatitis B.
·Why HBV carriers are still discriminated? It is because the mandatory HBV test in regular physical exams is not cancelled. This sort of test deprives carriers’ privacy and is the root of discrimination. Many experts and scholars indicate that the HBV test in regular physical exams is really unnecessary because carriers cannot infect others in daily contact.
·Why MOH does not cancel the mandatory HBV test no matter how much scientific evidence proved it? No official explanation. We understand it takes time to announce an official statement. We will appreciate for the timely response from MOH!
Voice from experts of infectious diseases
Many experts, scholars and doctors support to cancel the mandatory HBV test. Mr. Fuqiang Cui advocates canceling the HBV test. Mr. Hui Zhuang, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, sent media a written explanation that HBV carriers cannot infect others in daily contact. Dr. Haodong Cai, the director in a top infectious disease hospital, calls on to stop the HBV test and discrimination in society. We cannot list all experts and doctors’ name here, but we are sure that professionals in the field of infectious disease support to cancel the HBV test. They are glad to educate the public in order to alleviate the HBV discrimination. We do appreciate these experts, doctors and scholars’ professional input!
Voice from media coverage
Mainstream media in China, such as People Daily, China Daily, Global Times, Sina.com etc., reported the news about HBV discrimination and arguments from the Chinese society. Some international media, such as Voice of America, New York Times, also published some related articles recently. Media reported the opinions from experts, voice from HBV carriers and the general public objectively. Some reporters tried to interview MOH, but failed. Hope media friends could let MOH hear carriers’ voice in the news release conference. We do appreciate for your help!
A real story in Haikou, Hainan Province:
Baobao is as cute as other kids expect she is a HBV carrier. She is five years old now but never has a chance to play or study in any kindergarten with other kids. Her mother Ms. Luo said that when Bao was three years old, she tried to find a kindergarten for her. However, no kindergarten accepted Bao because she is a carrier. Bao often asks her mother: “Mom, why I have to stay at home alone, but other kids can play in kindergartens?” Whenever Bao passes by a kindergarten, she is always begging:”I wanna play slides with other kids in the kindergarten…”
Your support can save these kids from the gray childhood. HBV carriers are not Hepatitis B patients. Please help us convince MOH to cancel the HBV test.
Best regards
HBV carriers in China
______________________________________________
Acknowledge the hard work of 受治疗的鱼
Appreciate for your time of reading our previous letter. We’d like to share the current situation and a real story with you. The critical matter whether cancel the mandatory Hepatitis B test is still pending. Your support in this fateful moment can save 130 million people’s lives. We do appreciate your understanding and help. Below are some information shared with you.
Information about Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China (MOH)
·Today is the hearing deadline of the policy which permits children of HBV carriers to enter kindergartens.
·On July 30, Mr. Cui Fuqiang, director of the office of viral hepatitis at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of China said that the Ministry of Health would cancel the hepatitis B test in regular physical examinations. The next day, Mr. Haihua Deng, a spokesman of MOH, clarified that this was not an official statement but just an expert’s opinion. And then, MOH kept silent and postponed the news release conference which should be held on August 10 without any explanation. Comparing with massive media coverage, experts’ comments and hot arguments in Chinese society, MOH keeps silent till this moment.
·(Background Info) In 2007, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the PRC enacted the China Employment Promotion Law. The main objectives of this new legislation include promoting employment, establishing fair employment conditions, and banning employment discrimination. The penalty for employers who break the law is only RMB1,000 (about $143). The consequence of this law is employers began to reject HBV carriers for other excuses instead of hepatitis B.
·Why HBV carriers are still discriminated? It is because the mandatory HBV test in regular physical exams is not cancelled. This sort of test deprives carriers’ privacy and is the root of discrimination. Many experts and scholars indicate that the HBV test in regular physical exams is really unnecessary because carriers cannot infect others in daily contact.
·Why MOH does not cancel the mandatory HBV test no matter how much scientific evidence proved it? No official explanation. We understand it takes time to announce an official statement. We will appreciate for the timely response from MOH!
Voice from experts of infectious diseases
Many experts, scholars and doctors support to cancel the mandatory HBV test. Mr. Fuqiang Cui advocates canceling the HBV test. Mr. Hui Zhuang, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, sent media a written explanation that HBV carriers cannot infect others in daily contact. Dr. Haodong Cai, the director in a top infectious disease hospital, calls on to stop the HBV test and discrimination in society. We cannot list all experts and doctors’ name here, but we are sure that professionals in the field of infectious disease support to cancel the HBV test. They are glad to educate the public in order to alleviate the HBV discrimination. We do appreciate these experts, doctors and scholars’ professional input!
Voice from media coverage
Mainstream media in China, such as People Daily, China Daily, Global Times, Sina.com etc., reported the news about HBV discrimination and arguments from the Chinese society. Some international media, such as Voice of America, New York Times, also published some related articles recently. Media reported the opinions from experts, voice from HBV carriers and the general public objectively. Some reporters tried to interview MOH, but failed. Hope media friends could let MOH hear carriers’ voice in the news release conference. We do appreciate for your help!
A real story in Haikou, Hainan Province:
Baobao is as cute as other kids expect she is a HBV carrier. She is five years old now but never has a chance to play or study in any kindergarten with other kids. Her mother Ms. Luo said that when Bao was three years old, she tried to find a kindergarten for her. However, no kindergarten accepted Bao because she is a carrier. Bao often asks her mother: “Mom, why I have to stay at home alone, but other kids can play in kindergartens?” Whenever Bao passes by a kindergarten, she is always begging:”I wanna play slides with other kids in the kindergarten…”
Your support can save these kids from the gray childhood. HBV carriers are not Hepatitis B patients. Please help us convince MOH to cancel the HBV test.
Best regards
HBV carriers in China
______________________________________________
Acknowledge the hard work of 受治疗的鱼
Friday, August 7, 2009
Fight Hepatitis B discrimination
Cui Fuqiang, director of the office of viral hepatitis at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that the Ministry of Health would no longer test for hepatitis B in conventional medical examinations.
However, Deng Haihua, a spokesman for the Ministry, clarified that this did not represent an official statement, but was just an expert opinion.
Some 100 million people are infected with hepatitis B in China, and there is widespread discrimination against them. They find it very hard to enter kindergarten, school, or get a job.
Fighting against discrimination on hepatitis B is also difficult for many reasons.
For example, the current cost to employers who break the related law is only a fine of 1,000 yuan ($146), and many medical centers prefer cooperating with employers in return for financial rewards rather than implementing governmental policies.
In order to eliminate discrimination on hepatitis B, the government should aim to further medical literacy and promoting the implementation of anti-discrimination policies, such as formulating and implementing laws and regulations to protect hepatitis B patients and pursuing more public control.
We hope for such action in the near future.
Chongqing Times
However, Deng Haihua, a spokesman for the Ministry, clarified that this did not represent an official statement, but was just an expert opinion.
Some 100 million people are infected with hepatitis B in China, and there is widespread discrimination against them. They find it very hard to enter kindergarten, school, or get a job.
Fighting against discrimination on hepatitis B is also difficult for many reasons.
For example, the current cost to employers who break the related law is only a fine of 1,000 yuan ($146), and many medical centers prefer cooperating with employers in return for financial rewards rather than implementing governmental policies.
In order to eliminate discrimination on hepatitis B, the government should aim to further medical literacy and promoting the implementation of anti-discrimination policies, such as formulating and implementing laws and regulations to protect hepatitis B patients and pursuing more public control.
We hope for such action in the near future.
Chongqing Times
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Discrimination against Hepatitis B carriers rising - survey
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-05 21:00
BEIJING -- A civilian survey has shown that a rise in implicit discrimination against Chinese Hepatitis B (HB) virus carriers who apply for jobs at multinational firms.
At least 84 percent of the sampled multinationals in China require job applicants to take compulsory HB tests and provide the results to their prospective employers, according to the survey issued Thursday by Beijing Yirenping Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting social justice and public wellbeing.
About 44 percent of the multinationals said that they refuse applicants who are HB positive, while only 5 percent of the firms do not require applicants to take the medical test.
The Yirenping Center conducted the survey from October to December last year by telephone interviews with 92 multinational firms in 20 major cities in the Beijing-Tianjin area, Pearl River Delta in southern China and Yangtze River Delta in the eastern coast.
The multinationals come from diversified businesses such as electronic communications, machinery, food and drug manufacturing, chemical, transport and finance.
The center conducted a similar survey in 2006, two years before the enactment of the Employment Promotion Law. The first survey found that 77 percent of the multinationals refused applicants carrying HB.
Compared with the previous survey, the firms that showed overt discrimination against HB carriers declined from 77 percent to 44 percent. However, the firms that requested the test, but claim the results do not impact employment, rose from 19 percent to 40 percent. This practice is an implicit discrimination -- a loophole that lets companies continue to refuse HB carriers in employment.
The new survey found that multinational companies in China which request compulsory HB test and refuse virus-carrying applicants include Bosch, Citic Pacific, Nestle, Sanyo, Siemens, Sony, Toyota, etc.
The only five multinationals do not require applicants to take the tests are IBM, 3M, Gold Circuit Electronics, Santak Electronics and Carrefour.
China's top legislature approved the Employment Promotion Law in 2007, which specifically prohibits employers from refusing an applicant on the basis that he carries an infectious disease.
"It is very depressing to find overt and implicit discrimination after the employment (promotion) law has been in effect for one year," said Chen Jun, chief coordinator with the center who is a HB carrier.
According to the Food Safety Law enacted just last month, HB patients are prohibited from employment that involves contact with ready-to-eat foods. But this exception does not apply to any of the sampled multinationals.
The World Health Organization states that the HB virus is primarily transferred through child birth, shared syringes, blood transfusions and sexual contact. The WHO particularly emphasizes that the infection is not spread by eating or working with HB virus carriers.
"Obviously, request of compulsory HB test by those firms is against the law and they applied double standards for their worldwide employment," said Chen.
According to Chen, the reason why the survey targeted multinationals is because they seldom request applicants to test for HB in their headquarters or other countries and regions. However, in China, they not only require the test, but also eliminate HB virus carriers based on the test's result.
"The Employment Promotion Law alone is not enough to secure a fair opportunity for every employee. Many implicit discrimination cases could easily evade legal responsibility," said Wu Yuanming, an attorney with Beijing Zhongji Law Firm.
The center's chief coordinator told Xinhua that although the Employment Promotion Law has a special article to ban discrimination, more legislative efforts must be given to change people's bias against HB virus and infectious disease.
China's Ministry of Health reported last year that about 93 million Chinese, or 7.18 percent of the total population are HB carriers, but many medical experts believe there are more than 100 million carriers in the country.
The center has contacted two members of the ongoing 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) who have decided to hand in proposals calling for elimination of HB and other employment discriminations in the country, which faces an already grim unemployment situation.
China pledged Thursday it will implement an even more proactive employment policy this year and allocate 42 billion yuan to offset unemployment caused by the global financial crisis.
To create more jobs, the government will make full use of the role of the service sector, labor-intensive industries, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the non-public sector of the economy, said Premier Wen Jiabao in a report delivered to the second session of the 11th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.
Source Link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-03/05/content_7542374.htm
Updated: 2009-03-05 21:00
BEIJING -- A civilian survey has shown that a rise in implicit discrimination against Chinese Hepatitis B (HB) virus carriers who apply for jobs at multinational firms.
At least 84 percent of the sampled multinationals in China require job applicants to take compulsory HB tests and provide the results to their prospective employers, according to the survey issued Thursday by Beijing Yirenping Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting social justice and public wellbeing.
About 44 percent of the multinationals said that they refuse applicants who are HB positive, while only 5 percent of the firms do not require applicants to take the medical test.
The Yirenping Center conducted the survey from October to December last year by telephone interviews with 92 multinational firms in 20 major cities in the Beijing-Tianjin area, Pearl River Delta in southern China and Yangtze River Delta in the eastern coast.
The multinationals come from diversified businesses such as electronic communications, machinery, food and drug manufacturing, chemical, transport and finance.
The center conducted a similar survey in 2006, two years before the enactment of the Employment Promotion Law. The first survey found that 77 percent of the multinationals refused applicants carrying HB.
Compared with the previous survey, the firms that showed overt discrimination against HB carriers declined from 77 percent to 44 percent. However, the firms that requested the test, but claim the results do not impact employment, rose from 19 percent to 40 percent. This practice is an implicit discrimination -- a loophole that lets companies continue to refuse HB carriers in employment.
The new survey found that multinational companies in China which request compulsory HB test and refuse virus-carrying applicants include Bosch, Citic Pacific, Nestle, Sanyo, Siemens, Sony, Toyota, etc.
The only five multinationals do not require applicants to take the tests are IBM, 3M, Gold Circuit Electronics, Santak Electronics and Carrefour.
China's top legislature approved the Employment Promotion Law in 2007, which specifically prohibits employers from refusing an applicant on the basis that he carries an infectious disease.
"It is very depressing to find overt and implicit discrimination after the employment (promotion) law has been in effect for one year," said Chen Jun, chief coordinator with the center who is a HB carrier.
According to the Food Safety Law enacted just last month, HB patients are prohibited from employment that involves contact with ready-to-eat foods. But this exception does not apply to any of the sampled multinationals.
The World Health Organization states that the HB virus is primarily transferred through child birth, shared syringes, blood transfusions and sexual contact. The WHO particularly emphasizes that the infection is not spread by eating or working with HB virus carriers.
"Obviously, request of compulsory HB test by those firms is against the law and they applied double standards for their worldwide employment," said Chen.
According to Chen, the reason why the survey targeted multinationals is because they seldom request applicants to test for HB in their headquarters or other countries and regions. However, in China, they not only require the test, but also eliminate HB virus carriers based on the test's result.
"The Employment Promotion Law alone is not enough to secure a fair opportunity for every employee. Many implicit discrimination cases could easily evade legal responsibility," said Wu Yuanming, an attorney with Beijing Zhongji Law Firm.
The center's chief coordinator told Xinhua that although the Employment Promotion Law has a special article to ban discrimination, more legislative efforts must be given to change people's bias against HB virus and infectious disease.
China's Ministry of Health reported last year that about 93 million Chinese, or 7.18 percent of the total population are HB carriers, but many medical experts believe there are more than 100 million carriers in the country.
The center has contacted two members of the ongoing 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) who have decided to hand in proposals calling for elimination of HB and other employment discriminations in the country, which faces an already grim unemployment situation.
China pledged Thursday it will implement an even more proactive employment policy this year and allocate 42 billion yuan to offset unemployment caused by the global financial crisis.
To create more jobs, the government will make full use of the role of the service sector, labor-intensive industries, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the non-public sector of the economy, said Premier Wen Jiabao in a report delivered to the second session of the 11th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.
Source Link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-03/05/content_7542374.htm
Friday, April 10, 2009
Deprecate HBV Discrimination At Beijing University and Tsinghua University
Before the gate of Beijing University
Before the gate of Tsinghua University
Where is the door for HBV carriers to get in the door of university due to HBV discrimination?
On April 6, 2009, the last day of the Chinese Tomb-Sweeping Day, which is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed, three anti-HBV-discrimination fighters were standing at the gates of Beijing University and Tsinghua University to deprecate HBV discrimination during the process of graduate application.
Beijing University: HBVers are not permitted to get offers of any subjects.
Tsinghua University: If two applicants have the same caliber, we prefer the one who isn't HBV carrier to the one who is HBV carrier.
If you want to contact with the fighters on the pictures, below is the information:
E-mail: yutiangoudan126.com
Mobile: 13486184120
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Hepatitis B discrimination persists
A majority of some 90 foreign firms in the country that took part in a three-month long survey were found to be practicing "some form of discrimination" against job candidates with hepatitis B, according to the result of poll released yesterday.
Between October and December, Beijing Yirenping Center, a non-profit group advocating social justice, telephoned 96 foreign firms across the country and found that "80 of them, or 84 percent, required job applicants to be tested for hepatitis B".
The survey found that 44 percent of companies polled would reject hepatitis B carriers.
China is estimated to have some 93 million hepatitis B carriers and the discrimination against this group has been there for decades in employment and education.
Lu Jun, a researcher involved in the poll, said most companies gave two reasons for turning down hepatitis B carriers - either they were "afraid that the carriers will spread the disease or that the carriers would not be able to handle the heavy workload".
Hepatitis B virus carriers "do not pose a threat to people around them or the environment", according to the official website of the Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control. The virus can only be transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood-to-blood contact or from mother to child.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security and the Ministry of Health had jointly launched a regulation in May 2007, prohibiting tests for hepatitis B during recruitment.
Li Fangping, a lawyer from the Beijing Ruifeng law firm, said the punishment for violators was too light.
"The regulation demands that companies pay only 1,000 yuan at most for wanting candidates to undergo the tests. So far, I have not heard of even one company being fined for it," he said.
(China Daily February 24, 2009)
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