Vietnam Health Officials Charged in $3m Bribery Scandal

Photo courtesy of VN Express

Vietnam's food safety department faces a major scandal as authorities allege officials accepted over VND75 billion (approximately ฿109 million) in bribes to issue over 10,000 fraudulent product-registration certificates.

The Ministry of Public Security announced its Investigation Police Office (C01) is recommending charges against 18 individuals involved in the scheme, including several senior health ministry officials. These charges include "giving bribes," "taking bribes," and "forging documents."

Among those implicated are 15 current or former officials from the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA), such as Nguyen Thanh Phong, the agency's former director, and other senior figures such as Le Hoang and Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan. The allegations suggest these officials took bribes in exchange for approving product dossiers that lacked the required scientific evidence of efficacy.

Investigators claim that in cases where applications were deficient, VFA staff substituted legitimate documents to falsely validate product claims. Pham Van Hinh, chief of the food-poisoning surveillance unit, has reportedly admitted to accepting payments from companies after their dossiers were approved, with this money being divided among corrupt staff and leaders.

The scale of the alleged corruption is significant, with Phong alone accused of personally taking over VND60 billion (approximately ฿87 million) during his tenure as VFA head. This suggests long-standing and deep-rooted issues within the department.

Key figures from the pharmaceutical and food service industries have also been detained or are under investigation. These include Pham Thi Loan, director of Canada Vietnam International Pharmaceutical JSC, for giving bribes, and Nguyen Quang Hung of Novaco Pharmaceutical JSC for forging documents.

The scandal extends to TSL Science Co. Ltd., which has been implicated in a broader scheme involving counterfeit health supplements. This is now subject to an expanded police investigation, signalling potential further charges and implications across the industry.

These revelations highlight a critical breach of trust within Vietnam's health regulatory framework, where the integrity of food safety and public health processes has been severely compromised.

As this investigation unfolds, it remains crucial to address these systemic issues to restore confidence in Vietnam's health administration and ensure strict adherence to regulations.

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN Express 2025-07-16