Major news outlets have reported this week that Zheng Xiaoyu, China's former top drug regulator, has been sentenced to death for accepting bribes in exchange for approving drugs.

The ex-head of China's equivalent of the FDA was detained in February and accused of accepting over $800,000 to get drugs to market that might not have been approved otherwise. Zheng, who served in his post from 1998 to 2005 was convicted and sentenced to death by The Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court.

The dramatic announcement, confirmed by Xinhua, an official Chinese news agency, comes amid growing alarm and lack of confidence in the safety of Chinese foods and medicine. Chinese Pet food, toothpaste and other exports have been found to be tainted with poisonous chemicals including diethylene glycol, commonly used in brake fluid. In one instance an antibiotic approved by Zheng's agency was responsible for the death of ten patients before it was spirited off the market.

Beijing has launched a nationwide campaign to improve Chinese drug safety sending officials to 15 Chinese provinces to make sure China's drug and food industries clean up their acts.

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