China reiterates strict ban on hepatitis B tests during pre-employment exams

New Delhi, Feb 13 (ANI): To check companies reported violation of rules to require hepatitis B tests for job applicants, the Chinese Government has reiterated a strict ban on the tests during pre-employment physical examinations.

China's Ministry of Health said that no health institutions are allowed to provide hepatitis B checks as part of pre-employment physical tests regardless of whether the examinees provide consent or not.

On Feb. 10, 2010, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security jointly issued a circular demanding the cancellation of the hepatitis B tests during the health checks for school enrollment and employment nationwide, Xinhua reports.

However, according to a survey released this week, which was conducted by the non-profit Beijing Yirenping Center, some 61.1 percent of the 180 state-run companies surveyed included hepatitis B checks in their pre-employment physical examinations.

More surprisingly, 63 companies said that they would never consider hepatitis B carriers for a job or were reluctant to hire such people.

Yu Fangqiang, the principal of the Yirenping Center, said that such violations mainly resulted from light punishment for violations and some health institutions' desire for profits. (ANI)