In a Beijing pharmacy, near the headquarters of China’s State Food and Drug Administration, a clandestine transaction takes place involving antibiotics. Twenty-four amoxicillin capsules are sold without a prescription for 23 yuan ($3.60) by a middle-aged pharmacist in a white coat. The druggist scribbles the Chinese character for “medicine” onto a receipt, whispering that the vague description is in case of an audit. If caught, the pharmacist could receive a warning or a fine of as much as 1,000 yuan.
