A small box of medicines to treat coryza costs 129 yuan ($18.6). If you think the price is not high, consider this: Of that amount, a medicine salesperson pays a kickback of 45 yuan to the doctor so that he/she prescribes it to patients.

This is part of the facts to emerge from an investigation by China Central TV journalists in a reputable hospital in Shanghai. The journalists stayed in the hospital for days and also video-recorded how medicine salespersons bribed doctors.

As soon as the news broke out, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said it would ask the local health authorities to investigate the case and take measures to prevent the spread of bribery. Later, the Shanghai Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission suspended the three doctors who were caught on camera taking bribes, and said it will strengthen the supervision of doctors.