By Gaurav Sharma

Beijing, Feb 7 (IANS): A batch of over 12,000 human blood plasma has been found contaminated with HIV in China and the government has launched a probe into the latest medical scandal in the country.

A batch of Intravenous immunoglobulin, a product made of human blood plasma to treat a weak immune system, was tested positive for HIV. The drug was manufactured by Shanghai-based company Shanghai Xinxing Pharmaceutical.

China's National Health Commission (NHC), which launched an investigation into the matter, said experts believe the risk of HIV infection in patients using the drug was very low.

According to Beijing News, a news portal in Chinese, a total of 12,226 50ml bottles of the product were issued and approved by the Shanghai food and drug testing institute under the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration.

The batches of the product expire in June 2021.

The NHC ordered the suspension the use of the batches of products by the hospitals.

"According to international relevant literature reports, combined with the characteristics of the production process of the drug inactivated virus and the PH value of the product, experts believe that the risk of HIV infection in patients using the drug is very low," the NHC said in a statement.

This is the third big health scandal hitting China since July 2018 when hundreds of children were administered expired polio vaccines.

This week some 29 children were given wrong vaccines.